I’m not going to go into the political or ethical implications of Live8 here and now (though the sozzled socialist Psittacidae are worth reading on the subject). I am going to talk about the artistic ones, because the event illustrated beautifully the central problem with the UK music industry. I don’t like Pink Floyd very […]
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17May05 — 4
Ethnic Aesthetics
“Any random group of thirty Vietnamese women will contain a dozen who make Julia Roberts look like Lyle Lovett.” P. J. O’Rourke (1994), All The Trouble In The World: The Lighter Side of Overpopulation, Famine, Ecological Disaster, Ethnic Hatred, Plague, and Poverty I’ve written here before that I believe humans are naturally disposed to discriminate […]
Read More24Mar05 — 2
Muammar Qaddafi Unites Israel and Palestine
Following Colonel Qaddafi’s accusation at the Arab League summit in Algiers today, that the Israelis and Palestinians are “stupid”, thousands of members of both populations have come together to sign an unprecedented cross-community petition declaring Qaddafi “a gibbering loon”. Waving his arms theatrically as he introduced a joint statement issued with President of the Palestinian […]
Read More11Feb05 — 0
Excuses, Excuses
If it’s any consolation to you, my last remaining reader, as you vainly reload this page expecting new material, I have at least been getting out a bit more over the last few days, even as far as Wales. There, Auriol and Peter treated me to a superb meal, a browse through a couple of […]
Read More24Jan05 — 52
If He Existed He’d Be Laughing
“THREE Muslim pilgrims were killed and 500 others suffered light injuries as they jostled to perform the ‘stoning of the devil’ ritual near Mecca, Saudi newspapers reported today. The crush was triggered by the arrival of ‘a large number of African pilgrims carrying their personal belongings’ at the site of the stoning in Mina called […]
Read More14Jan05 — 5
Back To The Drawing Board
I had started on this spoof combining the Mark Thatcher and Harry Windsor stories. You know the sort of thing: “So, Mr Thatcher, this was an ironic coup? Well, yah, we’d a bit to drink and a couple of chums had dressed up in fatigues for a party and one of the fellas—an old friend […]
Read More24Dec04 — 1
David Carr Is The Anti-Swift
Hello, loonies of Libertarianism. This is good irony. It is funny, sharp, and original. It has a serious underlying point to make. This is bad irony. It is flat, smug, and tired. Somehow it doesn’t score a hit against crap British celebs making crap records for charidee. David Carr, you win this week’s Prêt-à-Porter Award […]
Read More18Oct04 — 1
Too Busy To Fisk
Apparently “Sudan’s Darfur” is “‘safer than Iraq’“. I’d been wondering where those millions of Iraqi refugees had gone to. I think Sudan’s Foreign Minister, Mustafa Osman Ismael, makes everything clear to Europeans when he says that “the international community should leave the complex ethnic politics of Darfur alone” because… “This is an African problem—it needs […]
Read More11Oct04 — 3
Electioneering
Bob Geldof defends Blair and Brown against accusations that their campaign of assistance for the developing world is just an election stunt. It’s understandable that a populist stance like theirs should inspire cynicism. Everyone knows there are too many easy votes in helping out the fuzzy-wuzzies in Africa.
Read More08Oct04 — 0
Black And White
This is funny. [UPDATE: Link above now fixed.]
Read More05Oct04 — 0
Satan, Meet The Observer
On Monday, in an email generously entitled “Disgusting”, Claire sent me a link to an Observer article making much of quotes from unnamed aid workers. These quotes implied that the United States was exaggerating the severity of the crisis in Darfur for political ends. In the same email she linked to this story from the […]
Read More25Aug04 — 23
Thatcher’s Son Takes Keen Interest In Politics
This story is just wonderful.
Read More07Aug04 — 8
Love Me, Love My Princess
As an “adorable half-caste African”, I have been far too slow to ‘Blog this one. The Guardian dents what could have been a funny, understated report by resorting to this clumsy smear: “[Princess Michael] was born Marie-Christine von Reibnitz, daughter of an Austrian father with connections to the Nazi party.”
Read More01Aug04 — 1
Still No Vaccine Against Stupidity
Anthony “Black Triangle” Cox isn’t around any more to flag this, so I will.
Read More20Jul04 — 1
International Law
A sovereign state holds undivided jurisdiction over all persons and property within its territory. No other nation may rightfully interfere in its domestic affairs. More: What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil? Roper: I'd cut down every law in England to do that! More: Oh? And […]
Read More30Jun04 — 1
“Cynical”
People who love English because the language can be precise and powerful can't protect it from people who love English because they love the sound of their own voices speaking it. Words like “disingenuous”, “chaotic”, and “appalling”, for example, have distinct and useful meanings. To the journos and pub bores and politicians they have become […]
Read More27Jun04 — 0
You Say “Tom-ah-to”
Hey, guys, we'd really like to help, but things aren't bad enough yet. Call us back when you're all dead and we'll send some lawyers.
Read More23Jun04 — 0
Continuing Descent
There's an important post about the latest developments in the Darfur region of the Sudan over at Black Triangle.
Read More17May04 — 0
Desperate
So much to do, now, that I’m resorting to my friends feeding me stuff that’s already appeared on other ‘Blogs. I’ve ‘Blogged before about the horrors in the Sudan—like it’d make a jot of difference. Anyway, Claire found this rant which is also linked to at Instapundit.
Read More20Mar04 — 1
Priorities
Today the Stop the War Coalition will be marching in London against the “war”. I wonder how many of those caring sharing people will have even registered “the worst humanitarian situation in the world” (the words of the UN co-ordinator for Sudan).
Read More10Feb04 — 2
Spreading Darkness
Black Triangle, the pharmacology ‘Blog by the originator of the legendary Weapons of Mass Destruction Error Message [Martin warns of pop-ups], joins in on the Nigerian polio mess (again).
Read More21Jul03 — 0
Hurry Up And Die, You Bastards.
Now boy George has returned from his tour of Africa, an email from Claire on Friday reminded me that I haven’t commented on the recently shortening life expectancy of Charles Taylor‘s thugocracy, another positive spin-off from Britain’s intervention in Sierra Leone. Here’s a Time article surveying the Anglosphere’s interests. Oh yes, and another old African […]
Read More20Jul03 — 0
Congo Concern Continued
Auriol sends a link to more depressing reading from darkest Africa in which she is interviewed by the Scottish Sunday Herald. It seems like a proper serious Sunday broadsheet, too, with serious news from all over the globe. Judith might be interested in this other article about single mothers in Israel.
Read More09Jul03 — 0
Imperialist Pigs!
Meanwhile, in Africa (remember Africa?), those evil colonial oppressors are at it again.
Read More16Jun03 — 0
A Real Saint
Unlike most of the anti-war, anti-globalization, anti-trade, anti-science wool-heads who clutter our Leftish press these days with their inane polemics, Bob Geldof manages to combine a passion for improving life in Africa with the complete absence of ideology. He also does something real about his passion. In comparison with Geldof, the Naomi Kleins, George Monbiots […]
Read More03Jun03 — 0
More War Crimes
Just look at the awful consequences when those imperialist bastards send their troops to the Third World in clear violation of international law. (If your preferences for BBC News are set to “outside the UK” rather than “UK” and you go to the BBC News front page there’s currently a link to a video of […]
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