Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Surely not even "Wee Eck"?

Could be that daft? This must be simple insanity or a throwaway political jibe from Peter Hitchens (I'm not a common enough reader of his column or, frankly, his paper to have a prejudged opinon):
Paradoxically, Scotland might bring Berlin time to England – by negotiating its own Scottish time zone north of the border. 

Surely anybody who has paid any attention to the debate that there is a strong even-causal link, not just correlational, between how far north you live in the country and your opinions on whether we should adopt Central European Time. Heathen southerners, like Rebecca Harris MP (51.5°N) who sponsored the Private Members' Bill (and clearly doesn't understand the meaning of the word "conservative") are significantly for, as opposed to, for example, Dr Elidh Whiteford MP (57.5°N),against. Although a special note of thanks must go to Christopher Chope OBE MP (at a mere 50.7°N), no matter the reasons for or the substance of his objections.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Retaking the Political Compass

As I do, intermittently, I've had another go at the "Political Compass" test. Today, I appear to be marginally more right-wing and a bit more libertarian than previously.

My Political Views
I am a center-right social libertarian
Right: 1.53, Libertarian: 4.92
Or, 1.75 & 4.67, on a slightly different version.
Pretty much the same areas, pretty consistent with before.

Monday, January 23, 2012

And another lovely comment.

Via "Delta Bravo Sierra":

I am busy fighting giants all day while Odin sips mead in valhalla. I am the 99%!

Lovely comment

From a some-time collaborator, Henry Crun:

The OED defines chutzpah as "See Labour Party in Opposition post May 2010."

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Is Google Ads Broken?

Well, damaged, anyway.

I've been reading about the great Ed'n'Ed versus the unions bust-up. On CiF. Because if you want to find out what the delusional end of the socialist co-operative are thinking it's either there or Tax Research UK.

Anyway ...

I keep getting:

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I'm struggling to think of a less Bootneck Officer clique than the watermelons and crusties who hang around on CiF?

Monday, January 09, 2012

Sherlock gets it wrong.

I'm not going to indulge myself in the whole litany of errors in military and computing matters that inflicted "Hound of the Baskervilles" last night. My family had to sit through my muttering and you deserve better.

Just two though, both regarding the irritating Major Barrymore (and not about his being an irritating martinet - not making Lt Col does take some people like that):
  • WTF is this beard thing? He's in the Army not the Royal Navy (and is neither a Drum Major in a Scottish Regiment nor a Pioneer Sergeant.) That you have some people wearing scruffy beards whilst on patrol in Afghanistan is one thing but it doesn't translate to smart beards in the UK. But that's the producers not Sherlock himself.
  • The medals in the picture of him and his dad. Sherlock decrees it is mid-1980s and that the father has a DSO. Complete bollocks, of course. The Dad is wearing the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, instituted in 1993 (and not awarded until 1995), a General Service Medal with one bar and the Gulf War (1990 / 91) medal. And he doesn't have the South Atlantic Medal that the "Falklands veteran" he is declared to be would wear (this would be to the left or right of the GSM, depending on when he earned them, all campaign medals having the same precedence therefore being warn in order of award.)

I know, pointless pedantry. But given that the whole drive behind the character is pedantic attention to detail ...

Saturday, January 07, 2012

Do Ministers Ever Learn Anything From Their Departments?

Well, it seems not.

Dennis McShane, expenses cheat (but not {yet} proven crook), bully, suspended Labour MP and former "Fifth Columnist on behalf of the EU in the British Government" thinks that the Countess of Wessex should sell some jewellery she was given by the Bahraini Royal Family and use the money to "benefit victims of the civil unrest."

So, there are a few problems with this.

Firstly, it is unclear whether these are HRH Sophie's to sell or part of the Royal Collection.

Secondly, these are official gifts. You either refuse them when offered, or you keep them. An international diplomatic version of that hideous sweater your aunt knitted for you that you can only bring yourself to wear when she visits and you can't throw out because, ugly though it is, you care more about her feelings than very occassionally looking like a bit of a prat. Ed notes: Although, with official gifts, you might be able to return them if you've either broken the rules or there is a significant problem. Sort of like Mugabe and Ceaucescu having their honorary knighthoods annulled.

Lastly, we have a member of the socialist internationale insisting the British Royal Family should interfere in the politics of another state? That's a fantastic turn-around from the usual insistance that they keep their unelected opinions out of our politics.

Thursday, January 05, 2012

BBC - journalistic accuracy

Apparently, George Galloway was "Dundee's leader" in 1980. He was Vice-Chair of Dundee Labour Party and might have become a councillor (at his second attempt) on 1 May 1980. However, the Lord Provost was Jim Gowans and Galloway didn't even become the Party Chair ("Secretary Organiser?) until 1981. And the proposal for twinning came from then-Councillor Colin Rennie.

Well done the MSM.
 
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