Poland, a serious country, is looking hard at treating Leftist and Rightist extremism equally, mulling over a new draft law which would ban the production of fascist and totalitarian propaganda so that it includes clothing and anything else that could carry an image related to an authoritarian system. So, farewell then, t-shirts glorifying […]
Various bloggers are trying to crank up interest in an online No 10 petition politely asking the Prime Minister to resign. Just over 6000 people have supported so far. Not bad – but also not so many, given the state of the country? Fear not. There is still lots of time for […]
I hitherto have not ventured very often on to the noisy battlefield of Torture and its diplomatic and political and moral ramifications. Although this posting about the unnoticed and permanently pained victims of terrorist violence says most of what I feel on the issue. I have steered clear because everyone else appears […]
Many of you must have a lot of spare time on your hands these days, what with the Recession and all. But more than plenty is whirring away in Brussels and wider European activities. How to join the excitement? Here is a site Brussels Agenda which gives plenty of leads […]
The other day I heard a BBC Radio Five programme coyly playing the BBC broadcast of the moment back in 1975 when Arthur Ashe won Wimbledon. The commentator hailed this success: "congratulations to the first Negro to win the competition". It turns out that that success was not enough. Arise, White […]
Here is BBRU 218, collated by Redemption Blues. This caught my eye. Feminist Suzi FemAcadem gives her robust thoughts on more HMG food and health nagging, but includes this line: It should not be cheaper to go to Iceland and fill your freezer with frozen, processed foods than be able […]
Who is ‘responsible’ for what and when it comes to leaking emails written by others? I previously jotted down some thoughts on this here, picking up some contrarian arguments from Brian Barder. On his site the subject has rumbled on, with various readers baffled (as am I) by his argument […]
The United States’ policy towards Cuba has failed. So says US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. And she should be in a good position to know, as her husband presided over this failing policy for eight years. Meanwhile equally ailing and failing Fidel Castro wants the USA to go even […]
Assorted Crawfs are having a few days away from it all in the Algarve: The Algarve. Think of the Algarve and you think of sunshine breaks and relaxing holidays. You imagine golden beaches on the coast of calm sea waters, sun-kissed tourists relaxing and sampling the delights that this wonderful […]
Geoffrey Wheatcroft in the Guardian writes about the Impotence of Might: There are few more startling illustrations of this impotence of might than the pirates, or the country they come from. A hundred years ago, any one of half a dozen imperial powers could have conquered Somalia in a matter […]
