Observatory of overkill...

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Not a pleasant post to end the year: another day in paradise: El Universal reports that the murder rate in Venezuela keeps rising: just one good reason to leave according to the OVV (Venezuelan Observatory of Violence). The graph (left: click to enlarge or follow link to OVV) shows an alarming growth in violent deaths but even this is overshadowed by the growth in kidnappings (see graph below) and this figure can't be called into question so easily as it comes from the CICPC, Venezuela's largest national police agency; obviously the non official figure is several times this rate because express kidnappings may not be included in data: imagine the graph!

Wiki: Crime in Venezuela [link]

Could the "real culprit for the rampant crime in Venezuela [be] socialism"? Why Is There So Much Crime In Venezuela? From Valuewalk: PDF

Observatory of overkill...

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Not a pleasant post to end the year: another day in paradise: El Universal reports that the murder rate in Venezuela keeps rising: just one good reason to leave according to the OVV (Venezuelan Observatory of Violence). The graph (left: click to enlarge or follow link to OVV) shows an alarming growth in violent deaths but even this is overshadowed by the growth in kidnappings (see graph below) and this figure can't be called into question so easily as it comes from the CICPC, Venezuela's largest national police agency; obviously the non official figure is several times this rate because express kidnappings may not be included in data: imagine the graph!

Wiki: Crime in Venezuela [link]

Could the "real culprit for the rampant crime in Venezuela [be] socialism"? Why Is There So Much Crime In Venezuela? From Valuewalk: PDF

Owbridges: our onomatomania...

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...but not really obsessed like my own 'O': merely a wonderful nostalgia-inducing Sunday Post from Petunia Winegum at The Raccoon Arms: A Lost Lexicon of England. The comments are worth a read too as readers add their own tuppenyworth.

Owbridges: our onomatomania...

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...but not really obsessed like my own 'O': merely a wonderful nostalgia-inducing Sunday Post from Petunia Winegum at The Raccoon Arms: A Lost Lexicon of England. The comments are worth a read too as readers add their own tuppenyworth.

Overpopulation obscurantism...

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The 'tale that this image tells' should not be a reason to overpopulate London (click to enlarge/see in focus!).

Overpopulation obscurantism...

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The 'tale that this image tells' should not be a reason to overpopulate London (click to enlarge/see in focus!).

Opposition oppression III...

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...and it's real oppression back in Venezuela and the public enemy number one: Maria Corina Machado. The BBC reports of the trumped up charges of conspiracy and/ or threatening/ plotting to kill the President. She was finally released but a future charge will be brought as the powers that be don't like people disagreeing publicly.



Just so you know what's what, Caracas Chronicles have put together an unbelievable list of "the torrent of abuse she’s faced these last few years". Her support team also has a website of the persecution.





In other news, Venezuela may sell its soul debt to the Vampire Squid. 

Opposition oppression III...

---

...and it's real oppression back in Venezuela and the public enemy number one: Maria Corina Machado. The BBC reports of the trumped up charges of conspiracy and/ or threatening/ plotting to kill the President. She was finally released but a future charge will be brought as the powers that be don't like people disagreeing publicly.

Just so you know what's what, Caracas Chronicles have put together an unbelievable list of "the torrent of abuse she’s faced these last few years". Her support team also has a website of the persecution.

In other news, Venezuela may sell its soul debt to the Vampire Squid. 

Oyster opportunities...

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Sorry for the lack of posting: business in thirteen countries (four of then twice) in the last two months is keeping me a bit busy! The above image arrived in my inbox today along with news of the TTIP and it struck me as pertinent. Add the quote above to "laws and regulations more numerous than the hairs of an ox [are]"more to be feared than fierce tigers" and "The more artificial taboos and restrictions there are in the world, the more the people are impoverished…" the more one can see where old Lao-tzu was coming from. More about the 'world is your oyster' opportunities here.

Thus the virtuous attend to contracts 

while those without virtue collect taxes …

More: "When you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing—when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors—when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you—when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice—you may know that your society is doomed." Ayn Rand; Atlas Shrugged, 1957

Oyster opportunities...

---

Sorry for the lack of posting: business in thirteen countries (four of then twice) in the last two months is keeping me a bit busy! The above image arrived in my inbox today along with news of the TTIP and it struck me as pertinent. Add the quote above to "laws and regulations more numerous than the hairs of an ox [are]"more to be feared than fierce tigers" and "The more artificial taboos and restrictions there are in the world, the more the people are impoverished…" the more one can see where old Lao-tzu was coming from. More about the 'world is your oyster' opportunities here.

Thus the virtuous attend to contracts 

while those without virtue collect taxes …

More: "When you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing—when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors—when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you—when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice—you may know that your society is doomed." Ayn Rand; Atlas Shrugged, 1957

Outbreak of oil odium...

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Very interesting self explanatory graph on the left (click to enlarge). Oil price control 'gloves are off' and the price has 'collapsed' losing 20% since the summer as Saudi strategy changes and a fight for market share ensues..."That means there is not an immediate floor on oil prices"...as if we needed anything else to worry about!




The OPEC 'split'  belies the fact that this is relatively minor on a historical scale and dropping to 60 or 70 would be the real worry but the fact that so many countries 'need' the price over USD100 a barrel is a worry in itself. 

Outbreak of oil odium...

---

Very interesting self explanatory graph on the left (click to enlarge). Oil price control 'gloves are off' and the price has 'collapsed' losing 20% since the summer as Saudi strategy changes and a fight for market share ensues..."That means there is not an immediate floor on oil prices"...as if we needed anything else to worry about!

The OPEC 'split'  belies the fact that this is relatively minor on a historical scale and dropping to 60 or 70 would be the real worry but the fact that so many countries 'need' the price over USD100 a barrel is a worry in itself. 

Obsolete ocracy...

---

(Photo: Michael Thad Carter; final quote below from Forbes last year)

Keep Calm and Carry On...but there's a lot to be worried about: Islamic extremists, no water, hyperinflation, obesity, too much Internet, WW3, Chinese Eugenics, worrying too much, not enough Internet, the Ebola virus disease (EVD...and today a nurse in Spain is said to be the first person in the current outbreak known to have contracted Ebola outside Africa.), it's beginning to seem like the news scene in V for Vendetta when they are trying to divert peoples' attention (sound familiar?). Well, despite all that, now, tried and tested and available (the 3D printers keep selling out) we have the Ghost Gunner a 3D printed gun from Defence Distributed ("You can have an unserialized toothbrush, and you can have an unserialized rifle.") Apparently the people of the USA "want guns without serial numbers. And apparently, they want to make them at home." Cody Wilson’s "goal of enabling anyone to privately fabricate an untraceable gun is part of a larger anarchist mission: To show how technology can render the entire notion of government obsolete." Hat-tip: Goodbye Gun Control, ZeroHedge (Mike Krieger via Liberty Blitzkrieg blog).

Obsolete ocracy...

---

(Photo: Michael Thad Carter; final quote below from Forbes last year)

Keep Calm and Carry On...but there's a lot to be worried about: Islamic extremists, no water, hyperinflation, obesity, too much Internet, WW3, Chinese Eugenics, worrying too much, not enough Internet, the Ebola virus disease (EVD...and today a nurse in Spain is said to be the first person in the current outbreak known to have contracted Ebola outside Africa.), it's beginning to seem like the news scene in V for Vendetta when they are trying to divert peoples' attention (sound familiar?). Well, despite all that, now, tried and tested and available (the 3D printers keep selling out) we have the Ghost Gunner a 3D printed gun from Defence Distributed ("You can have an unserialized toothbrush, and you can have an unserialized rifle.") Apparently the people of the USA "want guns without serial numbers. And apparently, they want to make them at home." Cody Wilson’s "goal of enabling anyone to privately fabricate an untraceable gun is part of a larger anarchist mission: To show how technology can render the entire notion of government obsolete." Hat-tip: Goodbye Gun Control, ZeroHedge (Mike Krieger via Liberty Blitzkrieg blog).

Obvious offence III...

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Map from Political Geography Now [Link]

Argie-bargie: Top Gear attacked for 'coincidence' of licence plates: H982 FKL (1982, the year of the Falklands War and FLK is the ISO Country code for the Falkland Islands...pretty close). According to Diario Journada last week Jeremy Clarkson 'chose'  to use the provocative number plate on his car for the filming. Really Jeremy? He insists the whole thing is contrived but if it was a publicity stunt it almost went to the edge but will pay dividends (see his tweet). Plus [from the DT] the executive producer of Top Gear, Andy Wilman, said: "Top Gear production purchased three cars for a forthcoming programme; to suggest that this car was either chosen for its number plate, or that an alternative number plate was substituted for the original, is completely untrue." It is still big news in Patagonia today [in English: BBC] but you can see the contrived response when a spokesman says that they (the British) have been lying to them for 200 years (well, we know better). JC says he is convinced the mob was state organised and he could be right: the Buenos Aires Herald says the 'mob' was made up of "war veterans, unionists and neighbours".

Obvious offence III...

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Map from Political Geography Now [Link]

Argie-bargie: Top Gear attacked for 'coincidence' of licence plates: H982 FKL (1982, the year of the Falklands War and FLK is the ISO Country code for the Falkland Islands...pretty close). According to Diario Journada last week Jeremy Clarkson 'chose'  to use the provocative number plate on his car for the filming. Really Jeremy? He insists the whole thing is contrived but if it was a publicity stunt it almost went to the edge but will pay dividends (see his tweet). Plus [from the DT] the executive producer of Top Gear, Andy Wilman, said: "Top Gear production purchased three cars for a forthcoming programme; to suggest that this car was either chosen for its number plate, or that an alternative number plate was substituted for the original, is completely untrue." It is still big news in Patagonia today [in English: BBC] but you can see the contrived response when a spokesman says that they (the British) have been lying to them for 200 years (well, we know better). JC says he is convinced the mob was state organised and he could be right: the Buenos Aires Herald says the 'mob' was made up of "war veterans, unionists and neighbours".

Out of office III...

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Not scandalous...and not Brooks.

King dong, the bitch is read, or red as the case may be. Not sure if there is much of a sex scandal about the latest sex scandal. At least Brooks Newmark (a member...of parliament) doesn't have a double entendre name associated with 'the crime' as in the similar A. Weiner case in the USA.



Interestingly there is clearly a 'conspiracy' afoot by the Sunday Mirror to ensnare Conservatives as Newmark isn't the only one...he was just the fish that took the bait. Maybe the lefty rag and the 'freelance' ("male reporter, a freelance ­journalist who passed the information to the Sunday Mirror" [ha!], set up false twitter account and,posing as a "twenty-something Tory PR girl" called Sophie Wittams, "was carrying out an undercover probe into claims by sources that MPs were using social media networks to meet women"; of course he was) are trying to recreate the continuous wave of scandals that helped Tony Blair to his '97 landslide (itself orchestrated by the BBC and New Labour amongst others). Or maybe they are members/fighters for left-wing charities and green totalitarianism have got their man.




Very late (travelling!) update: very surprised to read this from Guido re the above mentioned 'male reporter'; agree with THIS from Writerlywitterings. 

Out of office III...

---

Not scandalous...and not Brooks.

King dong, the bitch is read, or red as the case may be. Not sure if there is much of a sex scandal about the latest sex scandal. At least Brooks Newmark (a member...of parliament) doesn't have a double entendre name associated with 'the crime' as in the similar A. Weiner case in the USA.

Interestingly there is clearly a 'conspiracy' afoot by the Sunday Mirror to ensnare Conservatives as Newmark isn't the only one...he was just the fish that took the bait. Maybe the lefty rag and the 'freelance' ("male reporter, a freelance ­journalist who passed the information to the Sunday Mirror" [ha!], set up false twitter account and,posing as a "twenty-something Tory PR girl" called Sophie Wittams, "was carrying out an undercover probe into claims by sources that MPs were using social media networks to meet women"; of course he was) are trying to recreate the continuous wave of scandals that helped Tony Blair to his '97 landslide (itself orchestrated by the BBC and New Labour amongst others). Or maybe they are members/fighters for left-wing charities and green totalitarianism have got their man.

Very late (travelling!) update: very surprised to read this from Guido re the above mentioned 'male reporter'; agree with THIS from Writerlywitterings. 

OK, OK, OK...

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UKOK. Interesting rebranding from over a decade ago, (click through the short-listed entries from 2001 HERE) and regurgitated in 2007 as 'The Failure of Cool Britannia' from Summa. Today's referendum may not be the last day of the U.K. but it could be the beginning of the end...

UKOK campaign 2002

UKOK credit Keith Williams

UKOK!

Douglas Murray puts it well in The Spectator: "Vote for Britain to be a force for good in the world. Vote to keep the Union". The UK is easily the most successful union of countries in the history of the world and I dispute any silly comparisons trying to belie this by using totally irrelevant comparisons (with the USA in this case) about size, or GDP or Olympic gold medals for fuck's sake. Maybe I'm referring more to the British Empire but IMHO the two cannot and should not be separated. Going back to Murray's article, I agree entirely with a comment by sfin part of which is quoted below:

"Devolution is an EU design. The Blair creature was carrying out article 198 of the Maastricht Treaty (signed by the 'conservative' John Major) which resurrected the committee of regions and urged a blueprint of regions in Europe based on the German Lander system - each region having an elected assembly). Scotland, Wales and Ulster (not Northern Ireland) are EU regions. England does not exist..." [sic]

And finally from the 'New' Archbishop Cranmer: "Doe wee not remember, that this Kingdome [England] was divided into seven little Kingdomes, besides Wales? And is it not now the stronger by their Union? And hath not the Union of Wales to England added a greater Strength therto?…I desire a perfect Union of Lawes and Persons, and such a Naturalizing as may make one Body of both Kingdomes under mee your King. That I and my Posteritie (if it so please God) may rule over you to the Worlds End; Such an Union as was of the Scots and Pictes in Scotland, and of the Heptarchie heere in England."  ' So spake King James I of England and VI of Scotland to the Houses of Parliament in 1603'. True as ever.

"Why is Alex Salmond intent on leading the Scots out of a union which they are manifestly better off in, for one which it is increasingly obvious we would all be Better Off Out?" [my emphasis]

OK, OK, OK...

---

UKOK. Interesting rebranding from over a decade ago, (click through the short-listed entries from 2001 HERE) and regurgitated in 2007 as 'The Failure of Cool Britannia' from Summa. Today's referendum may not be the last day of the U.K. but it could be the beginning of the end...

UKOK campaign 2002

UKOK credit Keith Williams

UKOK!

Douglas Murray puts it well in The Spectator: "Vote for Britain to be a force for good in the world. Vote to keep the Union". The UK is easily the most successful union of countries in the history of the world and I dispute any silly comparisons trying to belie this by using totally irrelevant comparisons (with the USA in this case) about size, or GDP or Olympic gold medals for fuck's sake. Maybe I'm referring more to the British Empire but IMHO the two cannot and should not be separated. Going back to Murray's article, I agree entirely with a comment by sfin part of which is quoted below:

"Devolution is an EU design. The Blair creature was carrying out article 198 of the Maastricht Treaty (signed by the 'conservative' John Major) which resurrected the committee of regions and urged a blueprint of regions in Europe based on the German Lander system - each region having an elected assembly). Scotland, Wales and Ulster (not Northern Ireland) are EU regions. England does not exist..." [sic]

And finally from the 'New' Archbishop Cranmer: "Doe wee not remember, that this Kingdome [England] was divided into seven little Kingdomes, besides Wales? And is it not now the stronger by their Union? And hath not the Union of Wales to England added a greater Strength therto?…I desire a perfect Union of Lawes and Persons, and such a Naturalizing as may make one Body of both Kingdomes under mee your King. That I and my Posteritie (if it so please God) may rule over you to the Worlds End; Such an Union as was of the Scots and Pictes in Scotland, and of the Heptarchie heere in England."  ' So spake King James I of England and VI of Scotland to the Houses of Parliament in 1603'. True as ever.

"Why is Alex Salmond intent on leading the Scots out of a union which they are manifestly better off in, for one which it is increasingly obvious we would all be Better Off Out?" [my emphasis]

Oppression obsession...

---

A messy Mesopotamian mosaic; the image left is as good a guide as any to the current 'who's friendly with who' status in the western cradle of civilization. The Economist also has a handy map although probably already out of date: "America is gathering allies for a long campaign against extremists in Iraq and Syria" (note 'long'). Yesterday Saudi Arabia hosted US representatives along with those of Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates [BBC] Turkey was there too but didn't sign the communique to 'provide military support and humanitarian aid, and to halt the flow of funds and foreign fighters to IS' (who now have between 20,000 and 31,500 fighters across Iraq and Syria! [RTE]). Both Turkey and Saudi Arabia are beefing up security along their border with Syria and Iraq respectively. The latter is taking it seriously with the construction of a 900 km 'high-security five-layered fence on the border with Iraq to protect the country from “infiltrators and smugglers”'.



And for the sudden upsurge in traffic from KSA to Owsblog I will remind you that KSA has other worries too having issued instructions to close down its embassy in Sanaa, Yemen and evacuate diplomats and Saudi citizens due to Islamic civil war (Houthi rebellion) there.



Seems Islam is a bit of a recurring problem folks: but perhaps the point is getting across to some: "The only way to fight al Qaeda and Islamic State is by being transparent and open about it. We have a problem: some of our teachings promote militancy and we don't need those teachings any more"...and a damn sight more besides you don't need.  [but not all, Reuters: 'Saudi Arabia's clerics condemn IS but preach intolerance']. Well worth a read:

"Saudi authorities point to the influence of the radical wing of the Muslim Brotherhood in developing modern jihadi thinking, but play down Riyadh's decades of support for Islamists around the world as a counterweight to anti-royal leftist ideology."

Is the Kingdom 'committed to tackling radicalism's roots, or only its symptoms.': "while Saudi Arabia's official Wahhabi school of Sunni Islam attacks Islamists as heretical and "deviant", many of its most senior and popular clergy preach a doctrine that encourages intolerance against the very groups targeted by IS in Iraq...   "It's their definition of extremism we may not agree with."



Physicians thy-selves.

Oppression obsession...

---

A messy Mesopotamian mosaic; the image left is as good a guide as any to the current 'who's friendly with who' status in the western cradle of civilization. The Economist also has a handy map although probably already out of date: "America is gathering allies for a long campaign against extremists in Iraq and Syria" (note 'long'). Yesterday Saudi Arabia hosted US representatives along with those of Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates [BBC] Turkey was there too but didn't sign the communique to 'provide military support and humanitarian aid, and to halt the flow of funds and foreign fighters to IS' (who now have between 20,000 and 31,500 fighters across Iraq and Syria! [RTE]). Both Turkey and Saudi Arabia are beefing up security along their border with Syria and Iraq respectively. The latter is taking it seriously with the construction of a 900 km 'high-security five-layered fence on the border with Iraq to protect the country from “infiltrators and smugglers”'.

And for the sudden upsurge in traffic from KSA to Owsblog I will remind you that KSA has other worries too having issued instructions to close down its embassy in Sanaa, Yemen and evacuate diplomats and Saudi citizens due to Islamic civil war (Houthi rebellion) there.

Seems Islam is a bit of a recurring problem folks: but perhaps the point is getting across to some: "The only way to fight al Qaeda and Islamic State is by being transparent and open about it. We have a problem: some of our teachings promote militancy and we don't need those teachings any more"...and a damn sight more besides you don't need.  [but not all, Reuters: 'Saudi Arabia's clerics condemn IS but preach intolerance']. Well worth a read:

"Saudi authorities point to the influence of the radical wing of the Muslim Brotherhood in developing modern jihadi thinking, but play down Riyadh's decades of support for Islamists around the world as a counterweight to anti-royal leftist ideology."

Is the Kingdom 'committed to tackling radicalism's roots, or only its symptoms.': "while Saudi Arabia's official Wahhabi school of Sunni Islam attacks Islamists as heretical and "deviant", many of its most senior and popular clergy preach a doctrine that encourages intolerance against the very groups targeted by IS in Iraq...   "It's their definition of extremism we may not agree with."

Physicians thy-selves.

Outrecuidance over overweening octroi...

---

OK, a sanction isn't really an octroi but who cares. Zerohedge on the news that on Friday (if a leaked FT report is correct, and it seems to be) that the EU Europe's has upped the ante and may be crossing the Rubicon in its sanctions strategy by targeting the main Russian energy exporters. A glance at the image (left, click to enlarge) will make the craziness of this move glaringly obvious. "If today's news is confirmed, Europe's dramatic shift in sanctions strategy means that Europe's embargo of both the US Dollar and the Euro will accelerate as Russia further intensifies its shift away from both the west and the petrodollar. The only and clear winner here: China..."




Interestingly the UK isn't as secure as it looks from the image above although I will give a hypothetical prize to anyone who can guess correctly the country 2nd on the list of where we import most of our coal from...[answer in red]

Outrecuidance over overweening octroi...

---

OK, a sanction isn't really an octroi but who cares. Zerohedge on the news that on Friday (if a leaked FT report is correct, and it seems to be) that the EU Europe's has upped the ante and may be crossing the Rubicon in its sanctions strategy by targeting the main Russian energy exporters. A glance at the image (left, click to enlarge) will make the craziness of this move glaringly obvious. "If today's news is confirmed, Europe's dramatic shift in sanctions strategy means that Europe's embargo of both the US Dollar and the Euro will accelerate as Russia further intensifies its shift away from both the west and the petrodollar. The only and clear winner here: China..."

Interestingly the UK isn't as secure as it looks from the image above although I will give a hypothetical prize to anyone who can guess correctly the country 2nd on the list of where we import most of our coal from...[answer in red]

Oligophrenic ocracy...

---

What would Jesus and Mo say?

Updated. Nail on the head about our feeble minded government and weak Western leaders generally. Observations about the 'moderate Muslim' from Daniel Greenfield on his Sultan Knish blog: "The moderate Muslim is an invention of the liberal academic, the secular theologian, the vapid politician and his shrill idiot cousin, the political activist."

"Moderate Islam is just multiculturalism misspelled. Its existence is a firm article of faith for those who believe in multiculturalism."

Well worth a read and whilst there why not read about clearly the worst thing imaginable: The Deadly Israeli House Strikes Again: "There are few weapons as deadly as the Israeli house."



A few more thoughts on much the same theme HERE from 20 months back. Or from this week the suggestions for belated actions from Geert Wilders HERE re Dutch Ostriches.



Update: The other day Dan Hodges posed a question, as a statement really: "Too many of Britain’s Muslims are failing to integrate. We need to find out why"; we all know the answer:  Islam, because they are always Muslim first and tolerant people bend over backwards for them. Those in power have backed off, turned away and far worse attacked those brave enough to speak up or point it out. The Law has ignored their crimes.The solution is to STOP bending over backwards and start pushing back. No tolerance, no leeway, no overlooking.



More links: Diane Abbot deflection; crass apologist.



"Truly this is one of the biggest scandals of our time. And it's going to get bigger" from James Delingpole: "Rotherham - with 1400 girls abused - is just the tip of the iceberg."

Oligophrenic ocracy...

---

What would Jesus and Mo say?

Updated. Nail on the head about our feeble minded government and weak Western leaders generally. Observations about the 'moderate Muslim' from Daniel Greenfield on his Sultan Knish blog: "The moderate Muslim is an invention of the liberal academic, the secular theologian, the vapid politician and his shrill idiot cousin, the political activist."

"Moderate Islam is just multiculturalism misspelled. Its existence is a firm article of faith for those who believe in multiculturalism."

Well worth a read and whilst there why not read about clearly the worst thing imaginable: The Deadly Israeli House Strikes Again: "There are few weapons as deadly as the Israeli house."

A few more thoughts on much the same theme HERE from 20 months back. Or from this week the suggestions for belated actions from Geert Wilders HERE re Dutch Ostriches.

Update: The other day Dan Hodges posed a question, as a statement really: "Too many of Britain’s Muslims are failing to integrate. We need to find out why"; we all know the answer:  Islam, because they are always Muslim first and tolerant people bend over backwards for them. Those in power have backed off, turned away and far worse attacked those brave enough to speak up or point it out. The Law has ignored their crimes.The solution is to STOP bending over backwards and start pushing back. No tolerance, no leeway, no overlooking.

More links: Diane Abbot deflection; crass apologist.

"Truly this is one of the biggest scandals of our time. And it's going to get bigger" from James Delingpole: "Rotherham - with 1400 girls abused - is just the tip of the iceberg."

Only Obeying orders...

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Only obeying orders...not an exaggeration. Jesus wept.

Only Obeying orders...

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Only obeying orders...not an exaggeration. Jesus wept.

Only one over...

---

"[Fraser Nelson] came across a striking fact while researching this piece: if Britain were to somehow leave the EU and join the US how would we rank? The answer is that we’d be the 2nd-poorest state in the union, poorer than Missouri. Poorer than the much-maligned Kansas and Alabama. Poorer than any state other than Mississippi, and if you take out the south east we’d be poorer than that too." Holy crap. In The Spectator today: Why Britain is poorer than any US state, other than Mississippi.

Only one over...

---

"[Fraser Nelson] came across a striking fact while researching this piece: if Britain were to somehow leave the EU and join the US how would we rank? The answer is that we’d be the 2nd-poorest state in the union, poorer than Missouri. Poorer than the much-maligned Kansas and Alabama. Poorer than any state other than Mississippi, and if you take out the south east we’d be poorer than that too." Holy crap. In The Spectator today: Why Britain is poorer than any US state, other than Mississippi.

Obvious obstrobogulous observations...

---

"Le nostre sofferenze di oggi sono il preludio di quelle che subirete anche voi europei e cristiani occidentali nel prossimo futuro... "...I vostri principi liberali e democratici qui non valgono nulla. Occorre che ripensiate alla nostra realtà in Medio Oriente perché state accogliendo nei vostri Paesi un numero sempre crescente di musulmani. Anche voi siete a rischio. Dovete prendere decisioni forti e coraggiose, a costo di contraddire i vostri principi. Voi pensate che gli uomini sono tutti uguali. Ma non è vero. L’Islam non dice che gli uomini sono tutti uguali."



"Our sufferings today are the prelude of those you, Europeans and Western Christians, will also suffer in the near future... "...Your liberal and democratic principles are worth nothing here. You must consider again our reality in the Middle East, because you are welcoming in your countries an ever growing number of Muslims. Also you are in danger. You must take strong and courageous decisions, even at the cost of contradicting your principles. You think all men are equal, but that is not true: Islam does not say that all men are equal."




Hat-tip: Cranmer. Source: Corriere della Sera

Obvious obstrobogulous observations...

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"Le nostre sofferenze di oggi sono il preludio di quelle che subirete anche voi europei e cristiani occidentali nel prossimo futuro... "...I vostri principi liberali e democratici qui non valgono nulla. Occorre che ripensiate alla nostra realtà in Medio Oriente perché state accogliendo nei vostri Paesi un numero sempre crescente di musulmani. Anche voi siete a rischio. Dovete prendere decisioni forti e coraggiose, a costo di contraddire i vostri principi. Voi pensate che gli uomini sono tutti uguali. Ma non è vero. L’Islam non dice che gli uomini sono tutti uguali."

"Our sufferings today are the prelude of those you, Europeans and Western Christians, will also suffer in the near future... "...Your liberal and democratic principles are worth nothing here. You must consider again our reality in the Middle East, because you are welcoming in your countries an ever growing number of Muslims. Also you are in danger. You must take strong and courageous decisions, even at the cost of contradicting your principles. You think all men are equal, but that is not true: Islam does not say that all men are equal."

Hat-tip: Cranmer. Source: Corriere della Sera

Odze on...

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[Edited: 'dead' video/image removed]
Possibly the most heartening news this morning is re the visit by a group of British Jews and Israelis to Bradford in obvious and excellent defiance to racist fucktard George Galloway who had recently said that the city should be an "Israel free zone". The group, led by Rabbi Shneur Odze who is also a UKIP candidate, took the trip this weekend "to defend the British sense of fair play and tolerance" [Link: Breitbart]

Even better: HERE is a petition calling for Mr Galloway to be prosecuted for hate speech under the Public Order Act 1986. And Bradford will be happy because "the local tourist office in Bradford has received a surge of requests for brochures from British Jews". In case you wondered Owsblog's opinion is strongly pro Israeli and happy to debate with anyone who isn't fully blinkered and willing to learn the facts. 

Odze on...

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[Edited: 'dead' video/image removed] Possibly the most heartening news this morning is re the visit by a group of British Jews and Israelis to Bradford in obvious and excellent defiance to racist fucktard George Galloway who had recently said that the city should be an "Israel free zone". The group, led by Rabbi Shneur Odze who is also a UKIP candidate, took the trip this weekend "to defend the British sense of fair play and tolerance" [Link: Breitbart] Even better: HERE is a petition calling for Mr Galloway to be prosecuted for hate speech under the Public Order Act 1986. And Bradford will be happy because "the local tourist office in Bradford has received a surge of requests for brochures from British Jews". In case you wondered Owsblog's opinion is strongly pro Israeli and happy to debate with anyone who isn't fully blinkered and willing to learn the facts. 

Odze on...

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Possibly the most heartening news this morning is re the visit by a group of British Jews and Israelis to Bradford in obvious and excellent defiance to racist fucktard George Galloway who had recently said that the city should be an "Israel free zone". The group, led by Rabbi Shneur Odze who is also a UKIP candidate, took the trip this weekend "to defend the British sense of fair play and tolerance" [Link: Breitbart] Even better: HERE is a petition calling for Mr Galloway to be prosecuted for hate speech under the Public Order Act 1986. And Bradford will be happy because "the local tourist office in Bradford has received a surge of requests for brochures from British Jews". In case you wondered Owsblog's opinion is strongly pro Israeli and happy to debate with anyone who isn't fully blinkered and willing to learn the facts. 

Ottoman overkill...

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Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red is an installation at the Tower of London's dry moat and "it will continue to grow throughout the summer until the moat is filled with 888,246 ceramic poppies, each poppy representing a British or Colonial military fatality during the war." Link



The war to end all wars...the Great War. It certainly wasn't the former but there are those who don't wish to call it the latter either; I disagree, I know vocabulary usage changes but really nobody thinks it refers to 'great' as in good. Yesterday, 100 years ago Germany attacked France; today 100 years ago Germany invaded Belgium and in response Belgium and the United Kingdom declared war on Germany (also, the USA declared its neutrality). The numbers are horrifying: almost ten million military dead (9,911,000), 7,750,000 missing (mostly presumed dead), over 21 million wounded. [Wiki]. Russia had the greatest number of deaths (civilian and military combined), almost 2% of the population but some countries lost over 10% of the entire population (Serbia); an oft forgotten or ignored fact is that in the Ottoman Empire lost almost 15% of its then population: in fact taking civilian deaths from all causes (military action, crimes against humanity, malnutrition, disease etc.) the Ottoman Empire accounts for 33% of the total civilian deaths of WWI. Obviously this includes the deaths from the 'policy of extermination' i.e. Armenian Genocide and other ethnic groups like the Assyrians and Greeks, similarly attacked by the Ottoman Empire during the WWI period.



When we remember the military dead, soldiers making the ultimate sacrifice, please remember too the not inconsiderable 7.5 million civilians who lost their lives.



P.S. I donate monthly to The Royal British Legion, please help too if you can.

Ottoman overkill...

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Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red is an installation at the Tower of London's dry moat and "it will continue to grow throughout the summer until the moat is filled with 888,246 ceramic poppies, each poppy representing a British or Colonial military fatality during the war." Link

The war to end all wars...the Great War. It certainly wasn't the former but there are those who don't wish to call it the latter either; I disagree, I know vocabulary usage changes but really nobody thinks it refers to 'great' as in good. Yesterday, 100 years ago Germany attacked France; today 100 years ago Germany invaded Belgium and in response Belgium and the United Kingdom declared war on Germany (also, the USA declared its neutrality). The numbers are horrifying: almost ten million military dead (9,911,000), 7,750,000 missing (mostly presumed dead), over 21 million wounded. [Wiki]. Russia had the greatest number of deaths (civilian and military combined), almost 2% of the population but some countries lost over 10% of the entire population (Serbia); an oft forgotten or ignored fact is that in the Ottoman Empire lost almost 15% of its then population: in fact taking civilian deaths from all causes (military action, crimes against humanity, malnutrition, disease etc.) the Ottoman Empire accounts for 33% of the total civilian deaths of WWI. Obviously this includes the deaths from the 'policy of extermination' i.e. Armenian Genocide and other ethnic groups like the Assyrians and Greeks, similarly attacked by the Ottoman Empire during the WWI period.

When we remember the military dead, soldiers making the ultimate sacrifice, please remember too the not inconsiderable 7.5 million civilians who lost their lives.

P.S. I donate monthly to The Royal British Legion, please help too if you can.

Overpaid officials?...

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click to enlarge...

From ZeroHedge (by Steve Hanke of The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore):"The EU fiscal austerity bandwagon keeps rolling on with Matteo Renzi, Italian Prime Minister and current President of the EU, holding the reigns. Indeed, Renzi recently went so far as to form an anti-austerity coalition with France and Spain. According to the coalition, its members simply cannot impose further spending cuts. They assert that their budgets have been cut to the bone. This claim is ludicrous." To be honest, mostly they are not 'overpaid' in terms of salary (except for Italy!); 3 or 4 times would be acceptable IMHO but let's not forget that most of these salaries are more than boosted (often at least doubled) by expenses etc.  

Overpaid officials?...

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click to enlarge...

From ZeroHedge (by Steve Hanke of The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore):"The EU fiscal austerity bandwagon keeps rolling on with Matteo Renzi, Italian Prime Minister and current President of the EU, holding the reigns. Indeed, Renzi recently went so far as to form an anti-austerity coalition with France and Spain. According to the coalition, its members simply cannot impose further spending cuts. They assert that their budgets have been cut to the bone. This claim is ludicrous." To be honest, mostly they are not 'overpaid' in terms of salary (except for Italy!); 3 or 4 times would be acceptable IMHO but let's not forget that most of these salaries are more than boosted (often at least doubled) by expenses etc.  

Out of order IV...

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Surely there are better ways of suggesting people control their alcohol intake and 'know their limits'. This is an insult and just like those that say 'she was asking for it' because of the way she dressed. There is a petition to have these posters removed. 

Out of order IV...

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Surely there are better ways of suggesting people control their alcohol intake and 'know their limits'. This is an insult and just like those that say 'she was asking for it' because of the way she dressed. There is a petition to have these posters removed. 

Obviously owing...

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Well well well. What a surprise...NOT! Labour are hypocrites. The UK's main political parties all filed financial reports this week; "Labour’s total income for 2013 was £33.3m, far ahead of the Tories on £25.4m and the Lib Dems on £7.3m." From the Financial Times [Link ££].

On those vast incomes what tax was paid? Well last year The Conservatives paid 187 thousand quid, guess what Labour paid? £14,000. The Conservatives paid twelve times more tax on income of 25% less! Apparently the Lib Dems paid only £14 tax (yep, fourteen pounds).



Now nobody would begrudge trying to minimise what you pay in tax, as David Blackburn at The Spectator says, we should 'commend Labour for their careful tax planning', HOWEVER, when they do one thing but say another there's only one word for it: HYPOCRITES! There are so many other Labour tax-rise policies, and death won't save you. 

Obviously owing...

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Well well well. What a surprise...NOT! Labour are hypocrites. The UK's main political parties all filed financial reports this week; "Labour’s total income for 2013 was £33.3m, far ahead of the Tories on £25.4m and the Lib Dems on £7.3m." From the Financial Times [Link ££]. On those vast incomes what tax was paid? Well last year The Conservatives paid 187 thousand quid, guess what Labour paid? £14,000. The Conservatives paid twelve times more tax on income of 25% less! Apparently the Lib Dems paid only £14 tax (yep, fourteen pounds).

Now nobody would begrudge trying to minimise what you pay in tax, as David Blackburn at The Spectator says, we should 'commend Labour for their careful tax planning', HOWEVER, when they do one thing but say another there's only one word for it: HYPOCRITES! There are so many other Labour tax-rise policies, and death won't save you.