So Bush's 9/11 speech was as politically cynical as feared. I'm in frank amazement that a new low point was reached – the invocation of Godwin's Law instantly renders the whole rhetoric worthless.
Keith Olbermann gets expressively upset about it.
With regard to the admission of US torture, this was interesting as the most coherent I've seen Bush, actually talking off the top of his head. Repetitive and evasive but almost like a politician. Most world leaders don't appear to be inches away from punching the interviewer though. Look how intensely he threatens the interviewer's family with terrorist death. The government's message of fear in microcosm.
If you haven't watched Ze Frank yet it's worth picking up an unrepresentatively sober snippet on this topic.
For a final dose of rationality, go watch Jonathan Miller put together the History of Disbelief and the Atheist Tapes – no torrenting required.
15-Nov-06 at 1:49 pm | Permalink
little bit of social politics…
Every morning on my way to work I will listen to Radio 4 to get up to date on the latest events – possibly therein lies the reason for my received pronunciation of the English language. Anyway, usually it goes straight to my subconscious because I use the time in the car to work to wake up. This morning I was more alert and questioned the social ethics of this country. First HSBC has decided to charge a £10 fee for those customers “paying less than £1,500 into their account each month or those who have an average monthly balance below £1,500″ (BBC News quote). Apparently “The bank said the move was aimed at dormant or rarely used accounts.” Hello??
Then some council (sorry name of council did go to my subconscious) decides that employees will not be allowed to smoke outside public buildings anymore, and this apparently is all very fine because it is for the good of everyone’s health.
So if you earn less than £24K chances are you will have to pay £10 a month to have an account. I believe there’s quite a lot of people out there earning less than that who should welcome the news. But fear not good people of the UK, in order to avoid this you may purchase a credit card or insurance from the said bank. Have I missed something? Were we not told that the UK had the most indebted population in Europe? Why then are we actively sending out the message that if you don’t spend above your means you will be penalised? Robin Hood where art thou?
Please read the article about David Hockney on the BBC News page it is very good. I must remember to marry him. I am in favour of the smoking ban, but really there are such things as going too far. I believe there is a more pressing problem in this country with the obese and the binge drinkers. Why is not socially unacceptable to be obese? Why is it forbidden to smoke on a train platform, but you’re allowed to be drunk? Because I would rather smell the smoke of a cigarette than have some half drunken idiot throw up at my feet. And why should I have to put up with some fat cow spilling her blubber over the edge of her seat onto my lap? Why do I have to freeze my ass off at work because it just so happens that I am the only one in my office who is not overweight and therefore needs heat from an outside source, because I am in the incapacity to generate it myself? Why?
16-Nov-06 at 3:48 pm | Permalink
I agree.
But do you have colleagues who force feed you cake so that they feel better about their own excessive consumption?
16-Nov-06 at 5:25 pm | Permalink
No you do.
17-Nov-06 at 12:39 pm | Permalink
Au contraire, I don’t believe there was any forcing.