“Me, former President of the The United States, Bill “Slick Willie” Clinton? Alone? In a hospital? Surrounded by nurses? For five days? With my reputation? What were they thinking?” [Yanks go here for explanation.]
Read More08Sep04 — 1
September 2004
08Sep04 — 0
And So Few Hold It Against Him
Norman Geras: he supports Manchester United in domestic football, supports Australia in test cricket, and supports military intervention in Iraq; yet lots of people like him. It’s probably a Jedi mind trick.
Read More08Sep04 — 3
You Won’t Believe Its A Skoda
My newsagent is so “Cambridge” it’s funny. The top shelf carries American Scientist, “The Magazine of Sigma XI, The Scientific Research Society”—a sort of Scientific American for people who still know how to use a slide-rule; Foreign Affairs, not part of the Richard Desmond empire; and, of course, The Economist, which this week, for once, […]
Read More08Sep04 — 0
Fit To Print
On my doorstep this week, I picked up a pile of Labour leaflets that I will be delivering around my patch [thanks, Allan!] and I also picked up a copy of the Liberal Democrat’s “local” “newspaper”, Cambridge Herald. [I make no apology for the ‘Blogtastic scare quotes.] This publication’s factual news reports by members of […]
Read More08Sep04 — 0
An Alanis Moment
My friends will, I think, smile wryly at the news that PooterGeek is the sixth hit on Google for “beneficial effects of marriage“. [I could explain the “Alanis” reference here, but why bother shooting a fish in a bucket when plenty of people have bagged it already, including this guy? He’s wrong about her singing […]
Read More08Sep04 — 3
Norman No-Mates
I sent an email to a “friend” yesterday: “Date: Tue, 07 Sep 2004 From: Damian Counsell Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.7.2) Gecko/20040803 To: xxxx@xxxx.net Subject: p.s. I have more Gmail invites than I know what to do with, so am welcome to suggestions. x“ It got what it deserved: “Date: Wed, 8 Sep […]
Read More07Sep04 — 0
Meet The Flame
No, British moths are not in decline; the ones Dr Conrad’s looking for are all flapping around my bloody flat. And he can come round and collect them at a mutually convenient time.
Read More07Sep04 — 2
The War Against Porn
And Norm thinks being linked to by Instapundit is scary: “Starting today, if a Chinese porn site is ‘clicked’ more than 250,000 times, its owners could be jailed for life.”
Read More07Sep04 — 26
A Catholic Sociologist Writes
And overcomes my prejudices. Everyone (many Guardian contributors, for example) who thinks that US politics is dominated by a simplistic Right-wing agenda, sponsored by fundamentalist Christians, should be made to read this New York Times article that the Anonymous Economist drew to my attention. (S)he also sent this snippet from a meet-the-people piece, “In an […]
Read More06Sep04 — 1
Qualification Inflation
Apologies to those of you outside the UK who can’t access this whole article from The Times for free. [Email me if you want more info 😉 ] This education story attracted my attention yesterday: “TEENAGERS in middle-class areas have begun to turn their backs on university, putting at risk the government’s drive to increase […]
Read More06Sep04 — 1
All Bald Men Look The Same: II
I am in a UK airport branch of Dixons. I am trying out the keyboard of an ultra-portable notebook computer to see if it’s large enough for me to touch-type on. An American tourist approaches with his eleven-year-old-looking son. He smirks at his offspring and then says to me: “That’s small enough for you to […]
Read More06Sep04 — 1
Count Yourselves Lucky
I wrote a violent movie spoof last week that I didn’t post because of what happened in Russia. Yes, PooterGeek had a rare attack of taste and decency. Rest assured that it will appear once everyone in the media has forgotten the latest “9/11”. Next week, probably. Now, however, might be a good time to […]
Read More06Sep04 — 0
“I Didn’t Spend Six Years At Evil Medical School To Be Called ‘Mr Evil'”
Everything else had failed. Ken Starr gathered together his life savings, remortgated his house, and hired the professionals to get mediaeval on Clinton’s ass: “AFTER ‘harvesting’ bypass vessels from their former president’s arms and legs, US surgeons will cut into Bill Clinton’s sternum with a circular saw. His ribs will be eased to the side […]
Read More06Sep04 — 5
A Toast
I’ve just added the fierce and furry Hak Mao to the ‘Blogroll. (And, if you don’t write something soon, Timbeaux, I’ll be de-rolling you. How can I read a ‘Blog that isn’t?) Hak comes from the land of my favourite bread: Vogel’s. It’s the anti-Nimble. The ingredients of Vogel’s are harvested from the hearts of […]
Read More06Sep04 — 0
A Genuinely Funny Man
I was just going to pop this one in an email to Judith, fan of all things Wodehouse (and an American Jew in Israel, so yah boo sucks), but it’s too good for that: Stephen Fry on Robert McCrum on the other PG. (Why can’t Fry write like that all the time?)
Read More05Sep04 — 19
Today’s Headlines
Further to Eric’s observations, I bring you the main frontpage banners from England’s Sunday papers. The Independent on Sunday: “Inside School Number One: the full horror of Russia’s 9/11” The Sunday Times: “Terrorists hid bombs weeks ago” The Observer: “The Last Goodbye” The News Of The World: “322 DEAD” The Sunday Telegraph: “Russian school death […]
Read More05Sep04 — 0
Ain’t That The Veritas?
And now a perfect contrast from the grumpy copper: “Alcohol plays a large part in my professional life, many people I meet are under it’s influence, and those who say they aren’t usually are. I heard the other day that Russian police officers simply hose down their drunks (with a high pressure hose) and release […]
Read More05Sep04 — 0
Doing It In Style
I didn’t watch the England game yesterday evening, thank God; I went to a barbecue held by a couple of nice people I know—calling them friends would be an exaggeration, though I certainly wouldn’t be ashamed to do so. N is an old-school, self-taught computer whizz with an interesting life history. I know him through […]
Read More04Sep04 — 0
Comments Working Again
Maoi found a bug in the commenting on PooterGeek. Apologies to those of you who wanted to leave your thoughts, but got an error message in reply. Everything seems to be working now.
Read More04Sep04 — 0
The Dark Side
According to the Susurrator, Norm is the Obi Wan Kenobi of UK Leftie pro-war ‘Bloggers. As wisecracking skeptic, that makes me Han Solo. I pass you on to the wizard for reflection on yesterday’s atrocities.
Read More04Sep04 — 3
Don’t Mess With Monkton
I bought Edward Monkton’s “Penguin of Death” greetings card for Maoi on her last birthday. Another little friend of mine, Leasey, points me at his cute Website. And two girlies have set up their own where they hope to enumerate the 412 ways his Penguin can do away with you.
Read More04Sep04 — 1
Churchill’s Record As Orator Safe From US Vice-President
ABC News brings us the wit and wisdom of Dick Cheney: “It’s not only wildfires that shift with the wind,” Cheney told supporters Friday. “As westerners, the president and I understand the challenges that we face here in Nevada, especially when it comes to protecting residents from wildfires,” Cheney said here during his first post-convention […]
Read More03Sep04 — 1
“Hello?” Again
Whilst Backword Dave is around, I should point out that earlier I wasn’t have a go—even indirectly—at him for being frivolous, but I was having a go at The Today Programme. He doesn’t need to explain himself; ‘Bloggers, by definition, should be able to write about anything they like. I could hardly have a go […]
Read More03Sep04 — 7
All Bald Men Look The Same
The Susurrator nibbles at the shoelaces of titans as he vainly attempts to reduce us, the shining stars of the UK ‘Blogosphere to one-liners. Do you know who I am, child?! And apart from having shaved heads, Irish forenames, and the finely-sculpted bodies of gay icons, where is the resemblance between me and this person? […]
Read More03Sep04 — 1
They’re Coming To Take You Away
The hippies at Libra Aries are, I think, onto PooterGeek. Now they are choosing the books they put in their window specifically to vex me. Today’s volume is Alex Constantine’s Psychic Dictatorship in the USA. Of course it would be easier to mock if the Republican Party wasn’t seriously considering mental health screening for all […]
Read More02Sep04 — 18
What Would Make You Vote Tory?
I’m winging it even more than usual this evening because I have lots to do, so apologies for this post being particularly loosely thought out—it’s coming straight off the top of my head out to the keyboard and it requires you lot to do the hard work for me. I’m not hopeful on either count. […]
Read More01Sep04 — 4
The Long Fall Begins
There are two kinds of wasted young talents: those who seek the guidance they need, but aren’t given it; those who are offered all the guidance they need, but reject it.
Read More01Sep04 — 4
People Of Colour
I’m not a Wonkette regular, but I had to give a grim smirk at this little collection of photos from the Republican Convention. Thanks to Our Man In Washington.
Read More01Sep04 — 3
Hello?
200 Russian schoolchildren have just been taken hostage by terrorists, some wearing bomb belts. Israel has destroyed the house of a “militant” who was involved in a suicide bombing on Tuesday that killed 16. Yesterday, twelve Nepalese hostages were murdered by terrorists in Iraq. Meanwhile, the last three items on the The Today Programme have […]
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