Resistential

In this month's Prospect, some great statistics:

In 2005 45,000 cars were burned in France, an average of 125 every day. But until the riots at the end of October, the daily rate had been 104. The beginning of 2006 hs seen car-burnings up 23 per cent compared to the same time last year.

I like two things about this. Firstly, it's good to see that someone records statistics like this.

But also, it turns out that the "riots" were just a modest percentage increase in car-burnings over everyday French life. How normal is our normal life?

Maths
Existentialism

Back in the olden days, advertisers would call their adverts for washing powder, TCIK.
Two Cu^%s in a Kitchen where 2 women would gossip and gasp over how clean their whites were.

Now they've gone one better:
Three complete C's: Ainsley Harriott, Gary Rhodes and The Fat One admire each other's Fairy dishwasher tablets. There are pathetic attempts to be macho ("Nice one Ains" snarls one C limply), but after years of mushroom stuffing, it just doesn't work.

A great name for a celebrity chef show, Channel 5 must have already started on it.

life
pathetic

Platitude of the Day is a brilliant summary of Thought for the Day, BBC Radio 4, with level of how platitudinous each one is.
Two examples:

Friday, 13 Jan 2006
Presenter	Richard Harris
Rating	4 out of 5 (Highly platitudinous).
Summary	There's not enough respect. Ever since we did away with people being deferential to their betters, it's all gone to pot. There used to be God at the top, then bishops like me, all the way down to ordinary people at the bottom. The great prophet Shakespeare said we wouldn't be able to find any headteachers if we knocked down the hierarchy, and he was right. Jesus said to be nice to each other and do what those in charge tell you.

and

Tuesday, 20 Dec 2005
Presenter	Oliver McTernan
Rating	4 out of 5 (Highly platitudinous)
Summary	In earthquake torn Pakistan we see poor people struggling to be educated. This is good, but parents also do the same in the UK. They wickedly try to get their children a good education and good jobs. Children selfishly pursue material goods, such as food, shelter and medicine. This unbridled hedonism ignores their true value as God's creations. Enough of literature, music and science. Let's teach them something really useful, like the bible.

Atheism
Life

My 1920's Name is:

Adolphus Mortimer

I share Gert's ( Developing your Web presence: Apathy in the UK ) frustration at the lack of effective protest at the attacks on our rights in the last few weeks: "encouraging" terrorism, ID cards, smoking. Perhaps (hopefully) it's not that people disagree with the government, but that they don't think their protest will be effective?
Two million marched against the war, and opinion polls showed that most opposed it, but that made no difference. If we're not prepared to man the barricades (and who would, about smoking sections in pubs), what can be done?
Your answers, please.....

Freedom
Politics
News

New Labour's Terrorism Bill shows what contempt most politicians have for the rest of us.

They give us childish pictures of the world, where 'good' is under attack from 'evil', and only they can save us from the the shadowy assassins all around.

'Glorification', 'Encouragement' and 'Terrorism' are all kept purposefully vague, so that the government is able to use the law against whoever it pleases. They may jail a few religious nutters, but they'll also be able to use the law against animal rights protesters, trade unionists or people trying to overthrow friendly dictatorships.

What is the divide between 'terrorism'and 'war', which is constantly glorified?
Is it just whether you have enough followers to be called an 'army'?

Or between 'terrorism' and 'resistance'?
Or 'terrorism' and 'counter-terrorism'?
Which is which in Northern Ireland, Nicaragua, Iraq,...?


No more Nelson Mandelas:
Charles Clarke claims that there is no need for anyone in the world to use political violence now that we have all made such a 'fantastic transformation' towards democracy.

At the same time he continually warns of the dangers in the world, playing up the fear of evil terrorists all around, and the need for ever more 'security'

I find it hard to believe that this is said in good faith, that he really thinks that the world's governments are so benign - that history has ended.

Blair and Clarke cynically claim that extremists hate our 'Western' values of liberty and free speech, but it is they who use every excuse to undermine them.
Imprisoning idiots like Abu Hamza, or demonstrators in terrorist fancy-dress costume are just publicity moves.
Banning anti-fun campaigners like Hizb-ut-Tahrir won't convince people not to join - the opposite in fact.

In the spirit of open debate, and while it is still legal, here are a few 'terrorists' worth glorifying:

Nelson Mandela, who, rightly, led the ANC in using terrorism to fight Apartheid: "UNITE! MOBILISE! FIGHT ON! BETWEEN THE ANVIL OF UNITED MASS ACTION AND THE HAMMER OF THE ARMED STRUGGLE WE SHALL CRUSH APARTHEID!"

Wat Tyler, who led the Peasant's Revolt of 1380

The Maquis, French anti-nazis guerilla movement

The Black Panthers

and Joe Hill, framed and executed for his politicl activism

Rants
Politics
Freedom