CoffeeHousers' Wall, 14 December - 20 December

Michael Booth

Anyone else caught Sir Ken Macdonald being beastly to Tony?

Vulture

@Michael Booth: Yes, but why didn't he say this when he was in office? It's significant that Ken is a member of Cherie Bliar's legal chambers. Sounds too me like yet another post-facto gripe when the pension has been safely secured. That oaf Prezza was grunting out much the same sentiments last week. Liebour make me puke.

Atheist Ranter

It is generally agreed among anyone who has actually looked into the FACTS (as apposed to rumour, consensus or faith) regarding Global Warming or Climate Change, or whatever the name is today, that it is nothing more than a rather large tax raising scheme to be slipped in, to start with, at 2% rather like another VAT.

The MSM, BBC top of the list, are sticking to the party line and only showing the AGW side of the argument, some of which is so farcical and patronising it makes one wonder about the IQ of the believers!

How the hell can we get a proper debate going, on the MSM, that includes scientists who disagree. This will enable the great unwashed to see both sides of the story, and therefore, in my opinion, wake them up to the biggest conn ever perpetrated on a sleep walking public and allow them to see it for what it is...

Rachael

Merry Christmas everyone, you'll be giving and giving and giving (who cares if you didn't ask to):

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1235604/Single-mother-living-2-6m-mansion--Labours-housing-benefit-crackdown.html

Slim Jim

Michael - I caught a snippet on R4 this morning. I got the impression that he was putting the boot in with a vengeance! Unfortunately, he will get away with everything unless he appears before the Hague as a war criminal. That's just about as likely as Santa coming down my (non-existent) chimney!

Verity

Michael Booth and Vulture -What is it? What are you talking about?

In2minds

Vulture @ 1.32pm - Sir Ken Macdonald, Chilcot and Blair - You are right. It annoys me that so far all we have seen is a selection of people who are prepared to talk now, yet at the time of the build up to this illegal invasion of Iraq stayed silent. In the interim many have been promoted and are indeed closer to retirement on a decent pension. They know they are 'safe' not only because Chilcot is not looking to blame anyone but because the massed ranks of middle level public servants cannot easily turn against Tony Blair. So only the big names able to write and sell a book will talk. Not right is is it?

Kevyn Bodman

I flew out of Heathrow recently and,when airside after going through all the security checks, had to show my boarding card to buy chocolate.
I told this story to a colleague who trumped me by telling me that he had to show his boarding card when buying a newspaper.
This is nothing to do with security;it's all about getting people accustomed to having to identify themselves, later it'll be to justify themselves, when going about their lawful business.
This seems trivial now, but don't dismiss as unimportant. It's going to get worse, and it'll come landside into your daily lives.
The state and the EU,and their backers, do not like you and they do not trust you.
They see you as the enemy;we should reciprocate.

daifromwales

It's all very well not to discriminate unfairly against disabled persons - but today we learn that Gordon Brown is not only partially sighted and slightly dislexic - he also has problems with numbers.

How else can we explain his statement that the UK economy has benfitted from our railways for over 200 years? (Stockton to Darlington - world's first public railway - opened 1825).

It's a good job our Prime Minister is not Chancellor of the Exchequer, isn't it? (Or have I missed something there?...)

Tiberius

Talking of the Prime Mentalist, I hear he's flying early to Copenhagen to save the world from failing to save itself.

A job right up his alley, I'd say.

Michael Booth

Verity, the former Director of Public Prosecutions, Sir Ken Macdonald, has come out and said Blair was a 'sycophant' attracted to power, that he deceived Parliament and the British people and his mantra of 'I only did what I believed was right' is "a narcissist's excuse.' Now I realise Coffeehousers have been convinced of all of this for years, but Macdonald was a key player and seems to be turning on his erstwhile masters. Yes, he has bided his time and it looks like a classic piece of 'Et tu Brute' but it certainly livened up my day!

Michael Booth

Slim Jim, I fear you are right!

Verity

Kevyn Bodman - Some of us identified them as fascists years ago. I was absolutely baffled that other people couldn't see where it was (with malintent) leading.

Hysteria

Kevyn - interesting - and of course you are right - we are always asked for the boarding pass - and now you mention it - to what purpose?

Verity

Michael Booth - Well, that pepped me right up. Thank you!

wrinkled weasel

I am upset that my post has not appeared on this thread. I took a lot of time over it. This seems to happen a lot. My post was in no way against the rules either. So what's going on?

Pete Hoskin

wrinkled weasel: sometimes posts get lost in the ether for no explicable reason. Apologies. If you've finding that some of your posts aren't going up, you can always fire me an email on phoskin @ spectator.co.uk and I'll do my best to sort it.

wrinkled weasel

Thanks, Pete.

daifromwales

re: boarding passes - I suppose it is to prevent airport staff from buying goods at airport shops and selling them on. It might have been more relevant when "duty free" meant something. Far be it for me to support petty beurocracy but ...etc.

Augustus

Atheist Ranter - All temperature records for the period 1997-2009 show that the world has been cooling. So don't be surprised if the AGW warmists don't do an about turn and declare that a great climate freeze will be the next big thing. The IPCC
will change its name to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Cooling,
Greenland will become uninhabitable within a century, Icland will be begging for subsidies, and people will be writing books asking for more CO2 production. There will be predictions of how the next generation will be living in a world which is 3-6 degrees colder. Northern Spain will get a climate like Britain, and we will get a climate like Iceland, and the whole area between France and Poland will be covered with snow for three months of the year. The funny thing is, it won't be the first time people have said that.

Beer Moth

From the BBC news front page:

"Will Cowell bring the X Factor to the election campaign?"

Don't rule it out.

Verity

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1235708/Copenhagen-climate-change-summit-Talks-suspended-African-nations-walk-emissions.html

Well, I see the Africans have walked out in a huff because the West isn't offering to reduce its productivity enough.

Message to greedy, uppity Africans: Stuff off.

The West and the Orient will continue to be the engine that drives civilisation and comfort whether you like it or not, and we're not going to make sacrifices because you can't keep up.

Message to the Chinese: You're not buying up Africa fast enough. Could you floor the accelerator, please?

Michael Booth

Verity - my pleasure! Made me chuckle too!

James Murphy

What is it with modern Tories and power? As soon as it threatens to come within their grasp they come over all touchy-feely! Like an inverse Midas-curse, everything they touch turns to mental putty. Not only do we have everyone's favourite limpd**k David Cameron, but also now the newly-baptised AGW fanatic Boris and his bloody bicycles! Personally, I blame that ankle-chain-wearing chairwoman lady from a few years back (her name and charisma escape me) who declared from the conference podium that the Tories had to stop being perceived as the 'nasty' party if they wanted to be voted in. Result? - an increasingly emetic 'niceness' that not only makes one feel nauseous but will also fail to work in the long-run. Great cultures and nations are not built on 'nice'! Yes, of course, I'll vote for Dave when the time comes, but with a heavy (putty) heart.

Atheist Ranter

@ verity
Nice one! Can you imagine having the audacity to complain that you're not being GIVEN enough cash for doing not a thing!

Message to greedy third worlders: xxxx off! (please fill in xxxx with a word of your choice - I thought of 17 so far, not all four letters but very few printable here)

Verity

Who drew the cartoons of Boris and Cameron in the strapline above the masthead? I've commented before that Boris is white and Caucasian looking and Dave is a bit "Goodness gracious me!" Why, I wonder? The selection of the colour of Cameron's skin was deliberate. So what was the point?

Anne Wotana Kaye

Verity: I am rather wicked tonight. Reading your questions about why David Cameron looks like he does in the cartoon, add a pair of glinting eye glasses and a sinister smile. NOW who does he look like? I dare not reveal my opinion!!!!

John Richardson

Verity 6:27pm 14/12/09

"Message to greedy, uppity Africans....

Message to Verity.

I thought you had more brains.

In2minds

Atheist Ranter @ 8.36pm - “Can you imagine ......”, having been to Africa yes I can!

Martin Turnbull

When there is doubt about who has committed a crime, the question should always be, “Who stands to gain from it?” The answer often leads to the perpetrator.
Who stands to gain from supporting and pushing the unproven theories on which global warming is predicated?
Easy – those who want to control us and tax us more.
Our present computers can’t even tell with accuracy what the weather will be like next March. Why should we believe that they can predict the exact percentage of temperature rise around the world in a hundred years time?
Easy – we shouldn’t.
Humans have been on this earth for maybe 1% of its existence. Are our masters seriously saying they understand its workings well enough to control it?
Easy – that’s exactly what they’re saying.
One thing we can be sure of – throughout human history, the few have always sought to control the many. For the most part, the results have been unpleasant.
The attempts to control us have been packaged in many different ways – we have a direct line to God; we know what’s best for you because we have information you don’t have; you owe us your loyalty because we say so and we have the power; etc. etc.
We will never stop power-hungry megalomaniacs from trying to control us; but we can defeat them on each and every occasion if we resist hard enough. To do that, we must withdraw our collective cooperation with them and our collective acquiescence in their right to govern us.
In Britain, we have an election coming up. That is our chance to make it plain that we will vote against anyone who tries to empty our pockets in the name of the environment.

daniel maris

Martin Turnbull -

The weather/climate argument is a very poor one. We can't predict where the next earthquake will happen in China. But we can predict accurately that the Indian sub-continent (or the plate it sits on) will continue slamming into Asia, pushing up the Himalayas and causing earthquakes.

I think we need a more sophisticated argument from analogy than that.

Hysteria

re the uppity other folks - thanks Verity - loved it.

Did y'all see the Monkton interview with the very brave Greenpeace lady (HT DK)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzkB5DuveDE&feature=player_embedded

Hysteria

by the way Spectator IT guy - when are you going to adopt a 21st C system for posting comments? - go to Bishop Hill or WAWT to see systems that work, don't lose posts, and keep posts in chronological order. It helps avoid cross posts and I really believe the CH environment is way behind the competition.

Hysteria

to any BA cabin crew reading this

Hope you enjoy your extended Christmas break. Your action means that my long awaited reunion with my daughter is now in doubt, and she will probably now spend her Christmas alone in a foreign country.

Thanks for that.

Just so you know - personally I am a frequent flyer on Business Class long haul, and I can assure you I will be spending my money elsewhere from now.

Further, my opinion (the paragraph above was fact), is that your actions will probably bring about the collapse of BA as a major company and the loss of many jobs.

Your colleagues don't deserve that - you, however, deserve everything you get.

Verity

John Richardson - unless you mean the Africans are after more and more and more grants for ever more projects they ought to have been financing - given the richness of Africa - themselves, I don't know what you're talking about.

Also, I don't care.

Verity

Verity 6:27pm 14/12/09

"Message to greedy, uppity Africans....

Message to Verity.

I thought you had more brains"

More brains than what, darling? Anyway, what I've got, I'm keeping. My post stands.

Peter From Maidstone

When I was in Senegal the landscape was littered with the remains of various overseas aid projects, and the people I met were always asking for money. I don't think they meant to, but they had been trained to always see a European/Asian as a source of money because Europeans/Asians had always presented themselves in such a way.

But we have trained a large number of people in the UK to think and act in exactly the same way.

Wilhelm

Peter Hoskin 5.22pm

'' Sometimes posts get lost in the ether for no explicable reason, go figure.''

Now Peter is a nice guy, he means well and he's doing his best, but he must think we are all buttoned up at the back or just off the boat.

Its not as if we are sending our posts by carrier pigeon and they get lost in fog over the English channel, now is it ?

Fox in a box

Well I'm with you on this one, Verity. Unfortunately african officialdom is top of only one class - corruption. Any vestige of faith in human nature I had was left at a border crossing between Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Africa has resources Europe can only dream of, they just need the political will to succeed.

MikeF

Obituary in the Daily Telegraph today of an admirable and brave man who 'blacked up' in order to infiltrate Mau Mau camps while fighting them in Kenya in the 50s:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/army-obituaries/6811686/Lt-Col-Ian-Feild.html

If someone adopted a similar tactic today would they be disciplined for offending indigenous sensibilities?

John Richardson

Verity, re your brains.

First, your posts appeared at 4:48 and the 4:52 am.
Huuum.
However,tempted as I am, I won't rest my case.
I'm off School with flu and therefore have a little time.
So.
What did I mean...?

1) There is no global warming and no CO2 problem. The whole thing is an obvious fraud.
2) There are no African representatives at the 'talks'.
Those who move from the UN limos in Africa to the UN planes to the UN hotel/brothels in Denmark have all been selected & bought & paid for, long ago.
They care less about 'their' starving children than you do Verity.If that's possible.
They care for 'their' people the way, say , Brown cares for the people he is 'representing' in Denmark.
Possibly with more votes though, obviously.

To get them to the event 'The Third World' were told they could steal from the west under the guise of CO2 emissions.
With the money they stole, the billionaires hoped in time to become trillionaires.
Now it will take a little longer.
Though the West will be de-industrialised and any westerner under 30 years old will die very poor (perhaps like,say, an African) the MSM will still print articles about African 'anger' or 'dismay' at only getting/stealing 60% of what they thought they would.
3) No ordinary decent African thought he/she would get wealth or opportunity or anything else from Copenhagen.
Only the 'delegates'.
Who then bank every single penny with the same bankers controlling the Carbon Credit scam.
Some dummies in the west might even celebrate that Verity.
That's how stupid some people are.
That's what I meant.

Oh, finally , if you 'don't care' about my comments, avoid blogging that you 'don't care' in the middle of the night/early hours of the morning.
It's a bit weird.
Regards.

Nicholas

Interesting posts John Richardson, here and elsewhere.

Kevyn Bodman

John Richardson is too GMT-centric.
There are commenters here from many time zones.
The middle of the night in the UK is not the middle of the night for me,nor for Verity nor,I believe,for Hysteria.
And I would bet there are more.

Kevyn Bodman

Kevin Myers,a writer and journalist who has a column in the Irish Independent,has written wisely on the subject of Western aid to Africa,and how much of it should be given.
In a nutshell: none.
And he explains why.

Peter From Maidstone

John Richardson, I am not sure but I don't think Verity is in the UK therefore her time zone may well be different to ours.

Frank P

Hysteria (2.26am)

Yes I saw that link yesterday and it's well worth watching. I posted it on Rod Liddle's Russian thread in the small wee hours, just in case that thread has already petered out I duplicate it here:

"Sorry - the link fell off in transit - here's one I made earlier:

http://noisyroom.net/blog/2009/1 2/14/lord-monckton-addresses-a-greenpeace-campaigner-on-global-warming/

Seriously Rod, if you are a fair-minded man - and I suspect that you are - it might just alter your opinion of Monckton. It might also arouse your curiosity as to why his assertions have not been covered more by the MSM, when he has produced an articulate body of work on the subject that at least deserves to be heard (I'm not so sure about 'seen' he does have somewhat off-putting mannerisms - but I suspect that is not entirely his fault). Those that don't agree could then challenge his data if they can prove he's a charlatan or has a dishonest ulterior motive. Anyway, from what I have read over the past few years on the subject (copious tracts), he seems to be one of the few 'experts' who presents a cogent case against the rising tide of sewage that is the AGW theory. And I speak as one who thinks we should make efforts to reduce pollution and support technology that will lead to a cleaner planet for us to enjoy. That doesn't include covering the fens with eyesore wind-turbines that are as useless as they are high, because someone has sussed that flogging them can make them a fortune and that the world is overpopulated with pricks who will fall for the propaganda. But then I've been tilting at windmills for most of my life, to little avail I'm afraid. We truly are a fucked-up species and history shows that and in the very short space of time that we have inhabited this volatile pile of shit and gas, scare tactics in the hands of exploiters have always succeeded in acquiring a slavish following. As many others have said, this is just the latest religion, but this time the internet prevents the priests from proselytizing unopposed. For how long that is allowed to continue, remains to be seen. There are some disturbing straws in the wind indicating intended global governmental interference in that process. Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. "

Anne Wotana Kaye

Well guys I am still posting. The computer set off in the delivery van for my home today, but being Britain only a small package containing the remote arrived. Naturally, they didn't bother to let us know it was en route. This by the way is a top of the market computer, even if the damn thing has been assembled in Shanghai. Still, seeing what home producers are up to, perhaps as well. So now, I am still waiting. By the way, anybody who booked a flight on BA is mad. After that lousy airline had the nerve to charge 50 Pounds for booking a seat, and with the crap they serve at mealtimes, I'd never fly with them. I feel sorry for their workers, they treat them like dirt, same as they do the customers. The management are a load of wankers! Have a nice day everyone, perhaps the computer will come. After all Christmas is coming.

daifromwales

Not sure why John Richardson is so rude to Verity-I'm sure she was referring to the corrupt African leaders (just as he is) and not to their unfortunate citizens. Can't you kiss and make up?

Anne Wotana Kaye

Giving to Charity means poor people in the Developed World giving to Rich Leaders in Big Cars in the Third World.
The computer has arrived!

Maximilian

Hysteria, you amaze me. You describe yourself as a frequent flyer and, after all these years, you're still flying BA? The last time I set foot in a BA plane must have been in the eighties, if not earlier. Two or three bad experiences -- at a time when I flew quite often from LHR to France, Switzerland and Germany -- showed me that, of all the options available, BA was by far the least reliable.

Maximilian

Its not as if we are sending our posts by carrier pigeon and they get lost in fog over the English channel, now is it ?

Isn't it? What makes you so sure?

Still, it's heartwarming to learn that some people still believe in the infallibility of the internet.

Verity

Kevyn Bodman – GMT-centric! V good! John Richardson writes: “Verity, re your brains. First, your posts appeared at 4:48 and the 4:52 am. Huuum.” And, just to reinforce the perception that he is not a cosmopolitan soul, he closes with “Oh, finally , if you 'don't care' about my comments, avoid blogging that you 'don't care' in the middle of the night/early hours of the morning. ”It's a bit weird. Regards.”

Oh, dear! We have, on this site, people posting from China and N America (which itself has four time zones – five if you include Hawaii) as well as quite a few from the Continong, which also doesn’t operate on GMT. And I believe we’ve had a stray dingo or two on walkabout.

Kevyn Bodman, I’m going to the Kevin Myers piece later. Thanks for the pointer.

Verity

Maximilian - Re BA, absolutely! I loathe them and can't understand anyone, except under extreme duress, say at a high season and not a seat to be had anywhere else, including Aeroflot, giving them any money. Their flight attendants have to be the nastiest people aloft.

Always, always, always fly SQ if they fly to your destination. They have an unalloyed record of being named the world's number one airline for, I think, around 25 years. In fact, it's almost worth changing your destination if they don't fly to where you want to go.

Qantas, too, is a pleasure to fly. Nice, nice people and excellent service. Some who know my views about Islam might be surprised that I would recommend Emirates, but they have outstanding service; as is Alia. If you're flying in Asia, Garuda is a good airline with very charming, thoughtful and elegant staff.

Air France is crap, although not quite as high on the rarified, universal crap-o-metre level as BA. However, rivalling BA for sheer nastiness and dismissiveness is American Airlines.

For domestic flights within the US, the best airline is Southwest. Alaska Airlines is also nice, but you basically have to be wanting to go to Alaska.

Those are my humble opinions.

Peter From Maidstone

I wonder what people think about the case of the man who was held prisoner by a gang of violent thieves who threatened his family with death and who managed to escape and chase them away with his brother, and then beat one of them seriously when he caught him.

The victims of the burglarly have received three year prison terms and the burglar has not been found guilty of any crime. The judge said he had to serve the interests of justice!

Personally I am all in support of the man who was burgled and don't see how he has been imprisoned for a minute. It seems to me that justice is held to ridicule by such a verdict and sentence.

Verity

Peter from Maidstone, I was also outraged by this. So now it's against the law to protect your home and your family against aggressors? Protecting your home and your family carries a prison sentence? Do British judges all have a degenerative brain condition? (Yes. Socialism/communism/Gramsciism/Trotism/Leninism/Marxism.)

This man will obviously appeal his sentence and win the appeal, but how absolutely awful that the state wants to punish him for defending his family and protecting his home. In Texas, he could have shot the intruders dead and been asked by the police to go down to the station the next day and sign a form, and that would have been the end of that. In Texas - and many other states - the minute someone uninvited puts ONE FOOT over your doorstep, you are legally entitled to blow their brains out. This makes for a lot of good manners.

I feel awful about this poor man and his family, and awful about what has happened to Britain. An Englishman's home used to be his castle. But the socialists took that away from you, too.

The socialists are human garbage.

I feel terrible that this man is in prison. If there are any petitions going, could someone please post a link so I can sign it?

Verity

What's more, I've noted for some time that the socialists are trying to emasculate men. A man's natural instinct is to protect his wife and children. That he was robbed of this absolute right by the British left is nauseating.

But then, look at the male role models among the socialists/Gramscis and one is not surprised. Those twin towers of male presence Jack Straw and Gordon Brown. God, they're a creepy bunch.

John Richardson

Dear Verity,

It's a shame you have, again, chosen not to clarify your remarks about greedy/starving people. I can live with that. They might not live though.
Sincerely, your comments about Africans were particularly unfortunate as they did replicate simple NWO disinformation as suggested in my above posting.
The posting with one or two numbered points explaining why I was disappointed. Disappointed as I had 'thought you had more brains' having read many of your earlier contributions.
Again, you have chosen to ignore those points.I won't cry.

Though as you have referred to the 'late night/GMT/time zone' issue.Despite it's flippant triviality.
I will say this.
At least you have not actually claimed the two postings 'sticking up' for you were accurate.
So, well done for that.
If anyone else should wish to simply look at the (GMT) times that you post at they can figure things out for themselves.
How boring though.
Regards.

Maximilian

Verity, I’d say your comparison with Texas law holds good only up to a point. If the householder had wounded or even killed the intruder while he was still on the premises, then I can imagine that under Texas law he would have done nothing wrong. But that isn’t what happened in High Wycombe. The intruders ran away down the street and the householder, aided by another man, caught up with one of them and smashed his skull in with a cricket bat.

“One of the intruders,” it says here, “suffered a permanent brain injury after he was struck with a cricket bat so hard that it broke into three pieces.”

I don’t think the householder would have got off scot free in Texas, would he? Even if they had cricket bats there.

Kevyn Bodman

Verity,
Re. Kevin Myers:
My apologies for giving a misleading impression,
it wasn't a specific recent article I was referring to.
He has written a few in the last couple of years but I was unable to open 2 windows simiultaneously and then post a link.
Perhaps a search at the Irish Independent website might work.
Now, even though it's only 5.50pm GMT,I must sign off.

Austin Barry

Quantas gets my vote: is there any other airline that gives you an ice-cream while you're watching an esoteric film on how to make a cricket bat.

Peter From Maidstone

Maximilian, I would imagine that if a man had just been through all this man had been been through then he would be pretty pumped up with adrenaline and would not be entirely able to control himself. Certainly I am 100% supportive of him, as I imagine most people would be.

He did not wait until the next day, find the man and then assault him. Rather he chased him out of his home where he was in genuine fear of his family and himself being murdered by this intruder and his gang (he was not alone) and in the heat of the moment gave the man summary justice. I don't see his being imprisoned for three years, his and his successful business collapsing as as being natural justice at all.

Verity

Maximilian - I liked the bit about the permanent brain injury although, given the IQ of British yobs, how could they tell?

I am always happy to explain Texas gun laws. It's legal to own a gun in around 42 states.

Yes, in Texas, if you had killed an intruder with a cricket bat or a baseball bat, as long as the intruder was in your house at the time, that would be OK, although the police might wonder why you didn't just shoot him. Texans being rather direct people, most just use a gun.

The law is, if the intruder has a foot over your threshhold, you can kill him.

When I had an intruder, the police told me, "If he comes back and you shoot him, be sure to shoot to kill." This is because, if you humanely shoot just to disable him, the case will go to trial and he will claim, "Oh, the lady said she was lonely and ast me in fer a drink then she change huh mind." Or, "Oh, the man ast me to help him move a bookcase fer $10 and then he turnt nasty." Your word against his. So shoot to kill. And that's official.

Since George Bush Jr was Governor of Texas, it has also been legal to "carry concealed". After all, criminals "carry concealed". In other words, you can now carry your gun in your purse or briefcase. Thirty-one US states have "right to carry" laws, but Texans have a right to carry concealed.

An armed society is a polite society.

Disarming the British was one of Blair's wickedest acts.

Verity

John Richardson, I could not decipher any connected stream of thought in your post or your previous post, which is why I didn't bother replying. Perhaps you are posting from some time zone where it is 3 a.m. and are not thinking clearly.

Let me just clarify this one point: I don't care what the Africans think about absolutely anything. They're not contributors. They don't get a vote.

Verity

Austin Barry - Qantas is in my top three. 1. Singapore Airlines.
2. Malaysian Airlines.
3. Qantas.
4. Garuda.
5. Southwest Airlines (US)

Truly outstanding airlines.

Verity

Maximilian - If a householder merely wounds an intruder, it goes to trial and it's your word against his. That is why the police tell householders to shoot to kill.

Nicholas

Verity: "Disarming the British was one of Blair's wickedest acts."

It wasn't just Blair, although his 1997 act effectively finished off Dr Watson accompanying Holmes with his revolver in his pocket. Joyce Lee Malcolm (q.v. I commend to you her articles on the subject at the Social Affairs Unit - and her books - http://tinyurl.com/yemjs2s) wrote:-

"What became of the Englishman's right to protect himself? It was teased away over the course of some 80 years as the state began to insist on a monopoly over the use of force. The 1920 Firearms Act, the first serious limitation on privately-owned firearms, required anyone wanting a firearm to get a certificate from his local police chief certifying he was a suitable person to own a weapon and had a good reason to have it. The definition of "good reason", left to the Home Office, was periodically narrowed until, in 1969, they decided:

"it should never be necessary for anyone to possess a firearm for the protection of his house or person."

Since these guidelines were classified until 1989, there was no opportunity for public debate."

As they had stripped from English consciousness any notion of owning a firearm for the protection of hearth and home it was easy to enact legislation banning handguns per se. Of course this ban, like so much New Labour "law", only effects the law abiding, it does not impede criminals with guilty intent.

MaxSceptic

Regarding the man who beat up one of the burglars who terrorised him and his family: The most appalling aspect of this case is that someone who has 50 (fifty!) convictions is free to walk the streets.

Verity

Max Sceptic - That's pretty appalling, I agree, but not as appalling as the police's and the court's assumption that a man should not defend his own home and his family.

To me that is shocking - and I thought nothing about modern day Britain could shock me any more. But I was stunned.

He'll get out on appeal, but what a scar he will bear for the rest of his life. This will have knocked the wind out of him. He's a millionaire. If he has any sense, he, and all the other millionaires, will vacate the premises and move to the US or Oz - the only two countries in the Anglosphere* that have retained their own identities and their own laws.

*India also gets high marks, but foreigners can't buy property there. Otherwise, I would have included India as a good Anglophone place to move to. The police there are wonderful.

The British socialists are trying to emmasculate British men and make everyone dependent on (beholden to) the state for protection.

Anne Wotana Kaye

Long ago I decided all British magistrates and judges were criminally insane, or just plain criminals. Apart from this latest case of a man being punished for protecting his family and home, another judge, District Judge Roger House has allowed juvenile sadists to walk free, with minimal restrictions, after they tortured and stamped on a two-day old fawn, killing the poor creature. House doesn't think they meant any harm. No doubt in a few years these swine will graduate to torturing and killing a small child. A well-known psychiatric pattern. Regarding this country's judiciary, "Who the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad."

Verity

AWK - I don't think they're mad. I think they're wicked and I don't think "wicked" is a form of madness. I think it's within the normal range of human behaviour. Madness is not. Wickeness is carefully thought out. Tony Blair is wicked, in my opinion, but he is not mad. Jack Straw is wicked, in my opinion, but he is not mad. Harriet Harman, Ed Balls and most of the rest of them are wicked, in my opinion, but not mad. (Jacqui Smith is thick and greedy, in my opinion, but not mad.)

The jury's still out on Gordon Brown.

Nicholas

Gordon Brown this. Gordon Brown that. Gordon Brown says. Gordon Brown on the way to. Gordon Brown. Gordon Brown. Gordon Brown.

Britain's Mao.

Anne Wotana Kaye

Verity: I still maintain what I said about mad, but I also agree with you that they are wicked. A terrible combination. And Nicholas, forgive me for uttering that terrible name, Gordon Brown, ugh, the wretch is definitely bonkers. Well guess you are all sick of me, but today we are really setting up the new computer, so a very Happy Christmas and be blessed with good health, happiness and good fortune.

Kevyn Bodman

On the subject of law-abiding citizens having guns:
I have found this quotation from Jeff Snyder:

'To ban guns because criminals use them is to tell the innocent and law-abiding that their rights and liberties depend not on their own conduct,but on the conduct of the guilty and the lawless,and that the law will permit them to have only such rights and liberties as the lawless will allow...For society does not control crime,ever,by forcing the law-abiding to accommodate themselves to the expected behaviour of criminals.Society controls crime by forcing the criminals to accommodate themselves to the expected behaviour of the law-abiding.'

I do not know who Jeff Snyder is,I'd be interested if anyone here knows more about him.

And I'd be interested to read any views in opposition to what he says here;I can't see anything to fault in it.

Nicholas

Kevyn Bodman - Jeff Snyder's argument is quite valid. What the Home Office and police did between 1920 and 1969 was in breach of the 1689 Bill of Rights and illegal. They imposed secret restrictions on the rights of English people without statute or parliamentary sanction because they thought they knew best. This was never debated in or approved by parliament.

The current, rather arrogant parliamentary dismissal of the legal authority of the 1689 Bill of Rights, authored by two individuals and containing what may be described as political opinion, is here:-

http://tinyurl.com/ycpwgdf

It is shocking that a parliamentary briefing on such an important founding document of our democracy can be presented in this way - and no wonder that our parliament is effectively dysfunctional if MPs rely on this degree of ignorance and self-serving misinterpretation.

The provision in question is:-

"That the Subjects which are Protestants may have Arms for their Defence suitable to their Conditions and as allowed by Law."

This has been challenged and superceded largely on the interpretation of both "Defence" and "Law" but the religious condition is clearly a problem in our present society.

The police were established to deter and pursue the criminal, not to interfere with, to harass or to control the law-abiding public. In fact that risk was of grave concern at the time of their establishment and hotly debated. The point of crossover - where a hitherto law-abiding person breaks the law and becomes criminal - has been used to extend the law to interfere with the day to day business of the law-abiding public. The gun laws are an example of this, the paedophile vetting another, but there are many more especially since 1997. It boils down to a pandering to hysteria, often articulated by newspapers rather than actually demonstrated by ordinary people, and very poor risk management, whereby the response is predicated on the worst case example and the cost, inconvenience and impact to the law-abiding majority (the balance) are ignored. Unfortunately the general apathy of the public has allowed them to get away with this so often that it is now an established precedent. In the current political situation ACPO lobby for the convenience of the police in doing the job they envisage for themselves - the public hardly figure - and the Home Office as an executive arm of an authoritarian government connive with them in these impositions without being held to account by parliament.

The changing relationship between police and public accelerated under New Labour but had started long before. The gradual centralisation of the police, the conjunction of state and police and the idea that the population must be monitored and controlled rather than just the criminals within it. This trend has been exacerbated by political misfits like Blunkett and Straw who believe they have the right to impose their personal values and ideas on the public discourse and often presume public opinion from very narrowly obtained data or anecdotal and subjective bias. And of course there has been far too little quality debate in parliament upon the issues of policing, surprisingly even since the horror of the Damien Green affair. Correspondence with the Conservative shadow secretary for policing and the public statements of the shadow Home Secretary give me no confidence that the Tories understand this, or have any strategy to deal with it. The harm done to society by this misguided approach is not appreciated, as the recent blustering by police chief constables demonstrates.

Frank P

Brilliant post even by your own standards; deserves much wider publication.

Frank P

This piece is a wonderful rant on the developments emerging from the 'Health Care' bill: the thin end of the socialist wedge now being pushed up the fundamental orifice of the US electorate (let's forget for a moment that it deserves it, as it voted Obama into office, because ultimately it affects us all).

http://www.zombietime.com/zomblog/?p=1224

h/t Gerard Vanderleun @ American Digest blog who as ever adds his own perspective.

Verity

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig2/stagnaro2.html Interview with Jeff Snyder. Admittedly written by Lew Rockwell, loathed as a mad right winger by the left. He, Snyder, apparently wrote a book called “A Nation of Cowards”. Given that the interview was by Lew Rockwell, I assume the book referred to the US and not Britain. Were it written about Britain, it would have been called “A Nation of Servile, Craven Cowards”. At least in most states in the US, it is legal to be armed. Here’s a review of the book in “The Gun Zone” – my kind of zone - http://www.thegunzone.com/rkba/noc-rev.html

Verity

If Sarah Palin were President, this "global warming" circus would not have got off the ground. And definitely, no official Americans would have attended to listen to crap nations berating the West for being so clever (and so generous).

If she gets in in 2012, the first thing she should do is secure energy supplies for the United States. Everyone else is on their own. OR, she should annex Saudi Arabia, Iran and Libya. Next, she should stop all aid to Africa. Not one more thin dime.

Verity

It looks as though they've got their heads screwed on the right way in Guatamala City. I think it will be a long time before she tries to rob bus passengers again.

http://tinyurl.com/yb65teg

Paul B

Farage in action at the EC parliament. Hes a very plausible and attractive politician. Lets hope he beats Berk`cow next year. Apologies to anyone who has seen the link elsewhere.Its worth staying with it to the end.

http://tinyurl.com/ygyz2ly

daifromwales

AT LAST. Today the Met Office has released masses of temperature data.

And - would you believe it? The UK data stops in year 1990 - the year the Hadley Centre opened.

So I started plotting data from Norway, Sweden, and when I arrived at the UK the data are completely useless!!!!

Are we amazed???

What is going on?

daifromwales

Nicholas quotes the Bill of Rights. It makes interesting reading. The fact that the first text I managed to find is posted on the web by Yale University reminds us how far we have fallen.

The Lisbon Treaty is, of course, clearly illegal under the Bill of Rights: "And I do declare that no foreign prince, person, prelate, state or potentate hath or ought to have any jurisdiction, power, superiority, pre-eminence or authority, ecclesiastical or spiritual, within this realm. So help me God."

I wonder if the Bill been formally revoked and, if so, by whom and when?

egh

Yes of course those bits of parchment must be illegal. How can any contract be binding if it's based on non disclosure, lying, cheating, etc? Then all these tur...s run round telling us 'vee vill do as ve're told," or we're breaking the law? Whose law? Please.

Anyway: Today is beginning to look like Christmas!!!!!!!

1. I'm happy to do my bit in spreading the good news from Douglas Carswell's blog (talkcarswell.com)!

"Today I introduce a Bill in the House of Commons that would give the people a direct vote on Britain's membership of the European Union; the European Union Membership (Referendum) Bill.

All three political parties promised us a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. Yet it never happened."

Cranmer's posted it, but others may be ignoring it. I hope the Speccie lets this through... or even that I'm duplicating what others of you may put up here in the post-delay.

2: I don't believe that anyone's assassinated Brownikins - but James Kirkup's Telegraph blog says he's [been] holed up for fear of Protesters in Denmark!!! Someone called Junius responded in the comments section:

"Ransom note just received from the Climate Summit protestors:
.
wE hAv GoRdn BroWn caPTivE
any adVanCE on £3.27
foR His saFe reTuRN?"

Merry, Merry, Christmas All!!!

Malfleur

Verity. Annex Libya? Fine, though I would prefer England to do it - her need of oil is going to be much greater.

Nicholas

daifromwales - the Bill of Rights 1689 is available in pdf from the UK Statute Law Database at OPSI.

The astonishing parliamentary briefing note that dismisses its primacy is available in pdf from HoC Library as SN/PC/0293. The parliamentary dismissal is best summed up by two sentences in that magnificent piece of distortion of and disregard for British history and constitutional legacy (dated October 2009 - therefore under this New Labour "government"):-

"However, many of the Bill's original articles, while never formally repealed, are generally regarded as having been superceded by subsequent legislation. Laws may be obsolete but still unrepealed."

Says who?

Rachael

Worth sharing this, Benedict Brogan on the treachery that now dominates our judicial system:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/benedict-brogan/6828695/Britains-judicial-system-is-being-used-to-help-the-bad-guys.html

quadratus

Could it possibly be that the BA strike is set the Christmas before a GE and presents Brown with an opportunity to miaraculously 'save' the suffering public by negotiating a settlement: surely not?

Verity

Malfleur - The British wouldn't have the bottle to do it. But Sarah Palin does, and she could rent it to us.

daniel maris

Says who?

Says the judges and the constitutional commentators.

The people - unlike in Switzerland or the USA - don't get a look in.

There is also an act, name escapes me, which surrendered parliamentary supremacy to the EU back in the 70s.

Rachael

The disgusting Johann Hari has a thoroughly revolting smear piece on Sarah Palin today. We're not even anywhere near an election and yet this man feels the need to churn out his filth.

I'm loving the way America's natural Republicans are just sidestepping the Republican Party and organising themselves to get what they want.

In their current forms the Conservative Party and the Republican Party both need destroying. The only difference is that the Americans may have the will to go through with it.

We're not taking it any more.

daniel maris

Not every one's cup of tea, and I don't agree with much of what he says, but there is no doubting the bravery of Peter Tatchell and it is sad to see him have to give up his political campaign in these circumstances:

Outspoken gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell announced yesterday he is standing down as a Green Party candidate because of ‘brain injuries’ sustained in attacks during protests.

The would-be MP has ended his bid to enter Westminster, blaming Robert Mugabe's minders and Russian Neo-Nazis.

Yesterday, Tatchell announced: ‘It is with great regret and reluctance that I am standing down as the Green Party parliamentary candidate for Oxford East.

‘My brain injuries from the Mugabe and Moscow bashings mean that I would not be able to campaign effectively in the general election or do the duties required of an MP, if I was elected.’

(from the Daily Mail)

Patricia Shaw

Rachael dear, you re not taking what any more? You sound a teeny bit over wrought. Put down your bitten-off shot gun down like a good girl.

Paul B

Daniel, re Peter Tatchell. I agree. He has litterally put his head on the block for what he belives in. A very brave and principled man.

Keith D

Bored on the homeward bound from Victoria I picked up a London Evening Standard to find a column by Mr Andrew Neather.The lady opposite informed me he wrote with taste about wine as well as politics.

As a newcomer to these parts may I ask,is this the former Nu Lab spin doctor?

If so may I respectfully suggest the following.

In 20 years,when BBC Sharia TV films my flogging for having a pint,that you watch from your ivory tower Andrew,and compliment this strong meat with a suitably fortified claret.

daniel maris

Just thought I'd mention as the Copenhagen Conference reaches its (stage-managed climax)that down London way, it's bleedin' freezin' and we're facing a sizeable snowfall in mid-December. It's a long time since that happened.

Global warming? You decide.

Beer Moth

daniel maris

The weather man has promised me 8 inches to wake up to. And it's been a bloody long time since that's happened.

Peter From Maidstone

Why is there no pressure from the Conservatives to ferret out Tony Blairs expense claims? Nothing ever gets completely destroyed, there are always copies. Why no agitation to find his claims?

Verity

Peter from Maidstone, yes indeed. That the news that the Prime Minister had shredded all his expense documents before he left office was accepted all round with a curious lassitude, was it not? Neither the media or the Opposition expressed any outrage, anger or mild annoyance at this news, which seems to have been accepted with "oh"s and shrugs by the Opposition and the MSM.

Indeed, it barely got more than a passing mention.

Another reason to suspect a conspiracy, a sub rosa agreement, between NuLabour and NuTories.

As far as our governance is concerned, these must be our darkest days ever. There seems to be a conspiracy against the citizens.

EC

Beer Moth,

At this time of year you, and Clifford, should be supping stronger, darker ales with a far higher alcohol content. It is not only important to protect oneself from the cold but also the unwanted consequences of the dark winter nights and, indeed, mornings. In the run up to Christmas many people overlook this easy way to maintain themselves in a stable all year round condition. It is also equally important to maintain a strict dietary regimen. Festive fancy foods must be eschewed in favour of F&C at least twice a week. In this way you will feel happier and healthier and it will also enable Clifford to keep on top of the squirrel situation.

I hope this helps.
... and a Merry Christmas to you both.

Nicholas

Another thoroughly unpleasant New Labour politburo member Vera Baird, Solicitor-General, assistant to criminal Attorney-General "Baroness" Scotland, breaks the law and gets away with it. British Transport police decide not to prosecute - oh, dear another defeat for the so-called "independence" of the police. I wonder which ACPO Common Purpose commissars were on the phone sorting this one out for the New Labour hegemony infesting and abusing our justice system?

"Don't you know who I am?" says it all really. A leaf from the Red Queen Harmon's book, where the "equality and fairness" of wimmin-type socialism suddenly falls short. The Daily Mail is reporting case after case of New Labour's hypocrisy and abuse of power and the Left are dismissing the concerns airily as "Daily Mail readers". They don't resign, they are shameless, they have discovered they can do anything and get away with it because the British have become too stupid, too apathetic and so without principles that they let these cod-communist tyrants walk all over them and urinate on them too.

Was a country ever before in the grip of such state propaganda, lies and deceit as New Labour and their BBC chums churn out or the dumb apathy of a cowed and craven population? Well, not this side of the Berlin Wall in twenty years. And still they are polling higher than they deserve. Madness.

Ghengis

I see reported that yet another “government person” has been interviewed by the police following a complaint from a member of the public (witnessing dog excrement fouling a railway platform) and excused from further action. Their remains no doubt that the “expenses crew” have cast aside lawful behaviour as a norm, and I wonder how long it will be before their near relations in quangoland follow their example.

Ghengis

Nicholas --- in so many words, yes yes yes, more please.

Derek

As Christmas draws close, would the editor care to provide a present to his readers in the form of an opinion piece on the Neather scandal? Perhaps though the Spectator team believes that an article would be redundant, with the pass is already sold. The is certainly the view taken by Dve Sheskin in Front Page magazine hen he writes "...With approximately 52 million Muslims now residing in Europe, most experts believe that the European demographics are challenged. In my opinion, it is too late for Europe to save itself. ...".http://frontpagemag.com/2009/12/17/the-dark-lessons-of-eurabia-by-jamie-glazov/

Andy Carpark

Spurred by a mixture of boredom and masochism, I just clicked on the link to Clive Davis's blog, now deservedly banished to the cyberspace counterpart of Merthyr Tydfil.

What a crock of shit. He gets about 0.3 comments per article, none of which contain a shred of independent thought about anything. The man quite simply does not have a brain.

Enver Hoxha once set up a museum of atheism in Tirana. The same question occurs. What on earth was there to put in it?

Maximilian

Mehdi Karoubi, an Iranian opposition politician, tells a BBC interviewer that Ahmadinejad won’t serve his full four-year term because he’s going to be kicked out. The sound isn’t working on my computer so I only know what’s in the written account of the interview, but the big question that the interviewer didn’t get round to asking is this: Does he mean the Islamic Republic itself will be overthrown, or just that some other figurehead politician will be told he’s going to be president now, in little Mahmoud’s place?

To judge by Mehdi Karoubi’s clothing – the full ayatollah-lookalike outfit complete with turban and Roman collar – he doesn’t look as though he’s in any hurry to welcome in the post-islamic era.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8420453.stm

Verity

"the full ayatollah-lookalike outfit complete with turban and Roman collar ...". For God's sake, don't like Prince Charles see it!

Verity

Gerald Warner, on his blog in today's Telegraph, has started referring to The Danegeld Summit in Copenhagen. Funny piece. Recommend.

(Always assuming this post goes up today, Friday. As there are only eight and a half hours of Friday left, GMT, one shouldn't be too sanguine.)

egh

I've been saying my prayers, about Copenhagen!!!

"Yet still they snowed amidst the crunch
Of Blizzards fast prevailing..."

Well - a 4" snowfall, anyway!

Deo Gratias.

Paul B

Anyone else wishing, with fingers crossed, that interminable Copenhagen beano bore,all at taxpayers all ends in tears with lots of recriminations and many leaders at each others throats.
GO China, mess it up for everybody!!

Beer Moth

EC

I'm sorry but, Christmas or no, there's no way I'm cutting down to just 2 days Fish N Chips per week. Nor the boy Clifford.

Merry Christmas to you and yours also.

Nicholas

Stupid headline of the week - from the Telegraph no less:-

"Copenhagen climate summit: Gordon Brown 'has Plan B' to beat US and China deadlock"

Let's see where this BBC-style spin is going. Telegraph should be ashamed of itself. On TV the Great Climate Scam bunfest looked like the biggest concentration of blood-sucking lefties in the world and there seemed to be a severe under-representation of anyone over 40. If this is "world government" I hope the aliens attack soon and put us all out of our misery.

Maximilian

egh, it looks like your prayer was answered. Judging by the FT report, the final agreement in Copenhagen barely papers over the cracks:

He [Obama] admitted: “We have much further to go,” and that progress at Copenhagen was not enough. He conceded the agreement would not be legally binding, but would see countries lay out their emissions targets. [. . .]

It also contained a key commitment of financial assistance from developed to developing countries, to help them tackle climate change, of $30bn over three years and to a goal of “mobilising” by 2020 $100bn a year in such assistance.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/38141780-ec18-11de-8070-00144feab49a.html

Nicholas

Why has this story suddenly appeared in the Guardian? Is this part of the Left's anti-Tory smear campaign? Why is Phillips involved in the Labour exposé? Why have these letters been released now, who by and for what purpose?

http://tinyurl.com/ygoc9um

egh

Oh dear, Maximilian.

Well we know Obama must be well insulated!!! But who's going to pay all those millions? He seems to have no more idea about money than Bruin!

I did a little shopping Stateside, yesterday. And little it was. Half the stores in the mall were empty ... closed, gone. All I saw was one book store; a couple of shoe shops; a jewellery shop(!); and food.

Not many shoppers, either. The one department store - one that wasn't there last time I visited - had the cheapest looking tat, mostly marked down to half price. This is in the capital city of a state.

I bought a hard to find woollen scarf and asked if it had been made in China. The assistant told me no, Italy. "One thing's for sure, it wasn't made in America."

Every one else I saw, too,told me things aren't so great. I hadn't realized.

Paul B

Seems like the perpetual idiot village George Monbiot is contributing to global warming with his latest hysterical outburst about the outcome of the Taxpayer funded Christmas party in Copenhagen.

http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2009/12/18/scramble-for-the-atmosphere/

I particulary enjoyed his final paragraph.
1-0 to the good guys

Maximilian

If I knew how to use Photoshop, I'd redo that COP15 logo to read FLOP15, and use it as a bumper sticker.

EC

It's probably been mentioned elsewhere, but the tale of "The Emperor's New Clothes," as we know it, was cobbled together in Denmark by Hans Christian Andersen.

Does anyone know if he was in anyway related to the fabled, rascally Enron accountants of the same name?

Verity

There is a graphic designer at The Speccie who either hates David Cameron a lot - yes, I know; most unlikely - or is awfully ignorant. There's an ad for the mag on the home page that shows Cameron as Ché Gueverra, the fat, greasy, dirty, murderous Cuban communist. Now why would anyone want to portray Cameron that way?

Next up, we had last week, above the masthead, cartoons of Boris Johnson and David Cameron. Boris was blonde and white. Cameron, for some reason was brown.

This is a very bizarre publication.

Verity

I realise this is going up too late in the weekend to get seen by many, but I just read that Tony Blair says he's only hated in Britain. It's a hilarious article in Mailonline. Responses from the readers are absolutely vituperative.

Note to Pete, David and others, why not just let the Coffee Housers Wall continue as one long thread? Why cut it off at the end of every week?

David Ossitt

There is a pestilence in this land that is spreading its malign poison at an alarming rate; we see the effects of this latter day plague everywhere, it is an evil, vicious, threat to all that is good, and all that is proper, it is called 'equality and diversity'.

The high priests; more often priestesses of this new religion will brook no dissent, we must all believe, all non-believers will be outcasts.

Unusual for any religion; its adherents at the same time follow and worship a number of other gods, global warming being one of these, the full list is long, but they all have the one thing in common, that is; those who believe want to control and punish all of those who do not believe.

Disagreement is not allowed; argument and debate is not permitted.

Now that they have banned freedom of speech; freedom of thought is the next thing on their agenda.

MikeF

A final comment on the week's events:

COPOUT15