I have had a few regular visitors complain about auto-playing video clips on this blog.
This is interesting, in a geeky sort of way, because I hadn't noticed that any annoying video was autoplaying on my site. But that could be because the only browser I normally use is Firefox with the Flashblock add-in. This add-in allows you to choose whether to play flash video or audio files, so nothing autoplays.
If you find yourself suffering with this problem then I suggest you swap to Firefox and Flashblock.
If you are an Internet Explorer then I believe Pop Up Cop and Stop Autoplay will do the job, although I have tried neither.
Of course another alternative would be mute your sound-card or turn off your speakers temporarily!
Saturday, 26 September 2009
Mugabe has built up a 10,000-acre farm of seized land
I am not surprised to read in The Telegraph that: "Robert Mugabe has built up a secret farming empire from land seized from at least five white-owned businesses". The man is a crook and deserves the opprobrium of the world but whilst South Africa support his regime he will stay in power, whilst much of his population starves.
Friday, 25 September 2009
"Shagbands"
I am so glad that I don't have children and so don't really have to pay to much attention to what this article is complaining about.
The bit that caught my eye was The Mail's helpful guide:
"Alarmingly, these seemingly innocuous bracelets have been linked to gradations of sexual behaviour. Each colour denotes a physical act, from a hug or a kiss to showing body parts, to other acts that would make many adults blush.
If someone breaks the band off the wearer's wrist, the wearer supposedly has to offer the physical act that corresponds to the colour of the band.
A gold band entitles anyone able to snap it off to all of the sexual favours represented by the other bands."
The bit that caught my eye was The Mail's helpful guide:
"WHAT THE BANDS REPRESENTLeaving aside that the colours don't seem to be particularly representative of the acts, I am confused by "Meanings may differ around the country". Surely "Oral sex" means the same in all parts of the Country or am I being over-pedantic?
Black: Sex
Blue: Oral sex
Pink: Flash body parts
Purple: Kiss
Orange: Love bite
Yellow: Hug
Gold: All of the above
(Meanings may differ around the country)"
Have BA lost the plot?
Never too young to be brainwashed in the land of the Obamamessiah
This is a seriously scary piece of video, the cult of the "Dear Leader" seems to be gathering pace in the USA.
Thanks to Donal Blaney for the spot.
The fifty-fourth weekly "No shit, Sherlock" award
This week's award goes to the BBC for the news story heading "Iran 'concealed nuclear facility'".
Nope I never saw that coming, didn't the BBC?
"No shit, Sherlock"
Nope I never saw that coming, didn't the BBC?
"Iran has been accused of concealing a second uranium enrichment plant in defiance of international calls for transparency over its nuclear plans."
"No shit, Sherlock"
That Hamas Charter
I have blogged about the Hamas Charter before, most recently here, and so was interested to read Harry's Place's "A conversation with Anas AlTikriti. An excellent piece of persistence by Dave Rushmore exposing Anas AlTikriti's dissembling.
Are things about to get even worse?
I have dire news:
The Daily Mash is the source.
"WITH unemployment expected to reach three million by the end of next year, economists were last night warning of Billy Bragg.
The dire financial climate means there is now a greater chance of the communist singer-songwriter than at any time since 1987.
Dr Tom Logan, of Reading University, said: "Two years ago I said if we did not exert greater control over monetary policy we would simply be creating the perfect conditions for Billy Bragg.
"By next April we could find ourselves in the middle of a nationwide tour involving the Communards, the Style Council and - just saying it makes me want to die - the Blow Monkeys.
"And every show will begin with George Monbiot reading a poem about how the trees are not unemployed. Holy Jesus Christ almighty, it must be stopped."
Professor Bill McKay, of University College London, said: "The core economic purpose of any Labour government is to prevent Billy Bragg.
"If, as it appears, we are returning to a cycle of boom, Bragg and Jimmy Sommerville's excruciating falsetto, one is forced to ask the question, 'what is Gordon Brown for?'."
Professor McKay added: "If I so much as hear the introduction to Between the Wars, I swear to God I will throw myself under a horse."
The Daily Mash is the source.
Funniest line of the day so far
"Accuracy and impartiality are at the heart of BBC News and what's key to us is that the people working for us produce and deliver high-quality news that our audiences trust and value."That from an unnamed BBC spokesman as quoted by the BBC as they try and deny that they are biased towards the Labour party.
Lily Allen quite music for acting
The Mail claim that :
"Lily Allen is quitting her music career to concentrate on acting.I am devastated but look forward to more revealing photos of Lily Allen the actress rather than Lily Allen the musician.
The 24-year-old singer announced there will be no follow-up to her second album, It’s Not Me, It’s You, and said she has no plans to tour again in the near future."
John Bercow shows some balls
I hear that Speaker John Bercow has said that Lord Mandelson, the First Secretary of State, and head of an enormous Whitehall "Empire" should be subjected to regular public interrogations from MPs. Quite right too, not that he ever gives a straight answer to a straight question...
Spot the connection
Yesterday Shriti Vadera leaves Gordon Brown's government for a post at the G20.
Yesterday I wonder if she is "joining the G20 as a preparatory move to getting Gordon Brown a job at the G20, maybe a top job."
Today I read on the BBC that: "The G20 will play a larger role in guiding the world's financial system, the US says, giving emerging economies a bigger say. "
Wheels within wheels, it doesn't matter how badly Gordon Brown screws up the UK economy, he'll still get a good job with a supranational organisation. In fact if/when David Cameron becomes PM it is quite possible that he will have to deal with Tony Blair as the President of the EU and Gordon Brown as President of the G20 - not a pleasant thought and not a state of affairs that will in any way allow David Cameron to run the UK as he and the UK electorate wishes.
Yesterday I wonder if she is "joining the G20 as a preparatory move to getting Gordon Brown a job at the G20, maybe a top job."
Today I read on the BBC that: "The G20 will play a larger role in guiding the world's financial system, the US says, giving emerging economies a bigger say. "
Wheels within wheels, it doesn't matter how badly Gordon Brown screws up the UK economy, he'll still get a good job with a supranational organisation. In fact if/when David Cameron becomes PM it is quite possible that he will have to deal with Tony Blair as the President of the EU and Gordon Brown as President of the G20 - not a pleasant thought and not a state of affairs that will in any way allow David Cameron to run the UK as he and the UK electorate wishes.
Question Time - 24 September 2009 (update)
Unfortunately I could not watch this live last night, well past my midweek bedtime so this is as-live from iPlayer...
Fraser Nelson is editor of the "right wing" Spectator; are journalists like Kevin McGuire or any from the New Statesman or Guardian described as "left wing" or even "Left of centre"? Where is the centre in the BBC mind?
1st question is on the Obama snub and linking to al-Megrahi.
Why is it that when Harriet Harman speaks I get so irritated, it's an incessant whine of righteous indignation with scarcely a pause for breath. Fraser Nelson asks the questions that David Dimbleby should ask but Harriet Harman ignore them.
Lord Heseltine who has a great understanding of how things work seemed to put his finger on the al-Megrahi release factors and on the fiction of the "special relationship".
David Laws speaks sense on the reality of Libya.
Fraser Nelson again asks Harriet Harman the question about releasing al-Megrahi, David Dimbleby re-asks it, the audience demands an answer but Harriet Harman plays the UK government minister cannot comment card. Michael Heseltine points out the stupidity of that line but Harriet Harman sticks to her line despite having it pointed out that Ed Balls had done so. Michael Heseltine calls it a Labour split.
2nd question is on whether Baroness Scotland should lose her job
David Laws remind everyone of Harriet Harman's attempts to exempt MPs from FOI legislation and says yes she should go.
Lord Digby Jones agrees and spots the disconnect between the governed and the governers.
Harriet Harman tries to justify her colleague staying in post as it was just a "mistake", "no financial gain", "administrative error". "Lawmaker can be lawbreakers"? from DD?
Michael Heseltine has known Baroness Scotland for a long time but points out that she is the architect of this law, good point, and he is right that she should have gone for the purposes of accountability.
Fraser Nelson brings up the disconnect point.
Angry lady in audience and Harriet Harman shows she doesn't even know the fines for the crime, you might have thought she would have done a bit more research.
3rd question on whether Nick Clegg's conference speech has furthered Lib Dems prospects
Lord Heseltine lays into the "mansion tax" and points out that £1 million is not the cost of a mansion in London but a normal house.
David Laws makes a totally fatuous point about only paying only if over £1 million. But does then attack Lord Heseltine for the Council Tax.
Lord Digby Jones supports the taking out of tax of the low paid, quite right too; isn't that part of IDS's policy?
Harriet Harman despite being reminded of the question.
Fraser Nelson shows his speed of thought by replying to David Dimbleby's calling him "Nelson" by calling him "Dimbleby". DD takes it quite well.
4th question is on the closure of the Jungle camp and reducing illegal immigration into the UK
Question about what is being done about illegal immigrants already in the question and daring to mention the BNP. Harriet Harman evades the question and attacks the questioner for quoting the BNP favourably. Harriet Harman gets very indignant and refuses to have "any truck with the BNP" and so avoids answering what the government is doing about illegal immigrants already in the country.
Fraser Nelson makes the point that I made the other day.
Another question from the audience about the benefits given to immigrants.
Lord Heseltine points out the lack of effective border controls that exists and that the people are mostly economic migrants, much to the upset of David Laws who gets on his Lib Dem high horse.
Digby Jones knows what the French are up to in Calais area and he is right.
Question 5 the "funny one"
Or not...
Fraser Nelson is editor of the "right wing" Spectator; are journalists like Kevin McGuire or any from the New Statesman or Guardian described as "left wing" or even "Left of centre"? Where is the centre in the BBC mind?
1st question is on the Obama snub and linking to al-Megrahi.
Why is it that when Harriet Harman speaks I get so irritated, it's an incessant whine of righteous indignation with scarcely a pause for breath. Fraser Nelson asks the questions that David Dimbleby should ask but Harriet Harman ignore them.
Lord Heseltine who has a great understanding of how things work seemed to put his finger on the al-Megrahi release factors and on the fiction of the "special relationship".
David Laws speaks sense on the reality of Libya.
Fraser Nelson again asks Harriet Harman the question about releasing al-Megrahi, David Dimbleby re-asks it, the audience demands an answer but Harriet Harman plays the UK government minister cannot comment card. Michael Heseltine points out the stupidity of that line but Harriet Harman sticks to her line despite having it pointed out that Ed Balls had done so. Michael Heseltine calls it a Labour split.
2nd question is on whether Baroness Scotland should lose her job
David Laws remind everyone of Harriet Harman's attempts to exempt MPs from FOI legislation and says yes she should go.
Lord Digby Jones agrees and spots the disconnect between the governed and the governers.
Harriet Harman tries to justify her colleague staying in post as it was just a "mistake", "no financial gain", "administrative error". "Lawmaker can be lawbreakers"? from DD?
Michael Heseltine has known Baroness Scotland for a long time but points out that she is the architect of this law, good point, and he is right that she should have gone for the purposes of accountability.
Fraser Nelson brings up the disconnect point.
Angry lady in audience and Harriet Harman shows she doesn't even know the fines for the crime, you might have thought she would have done a bit more research.
3rd question on whether Nick Clegg's conference speech has furthered Lib Dems prospects
Lord Heseltine lays into the "mansion tax" and points out that £1 million is not the cost of a mansion in London but a normal house.
David Laws makes a totally fatuous point about only paying only if over £1 million. But does then attack Lord Heseltine for the Council Tax.
Lord Digby Jones supports the taking out of tax of the low paid, quite right too; isn't that part of IDS's policy?
Harriet Harman despite being reminded of the question.
Fraser Nelson shows his speed of thought by replying to David Dimbleby's calling him "Nelson" by calling him "Dimbleby". DD takes it quite well.
4th question is on the closure of the Jungle camp and reducing illegal immigration into the UK
Question about what is being done about illegal immigrants already in the question and daring to mention the BNP. Harriet Harman evades the question and attacks the questioner for quoting the BNP favourably. Harriet Harman gets very indignant and refuses to have "any truck with the BNP" and so avoids answering what the government is doing about illegal immigrants already in the country.
Fraser Nelson makes the point that I made the other day.
Another question from the audience about the benefits given to immigrants.
Lord Heseltine points out the lack of effective border controls that exists and that the people are mostly economic migrants, much to the upset of David Laws who gets on his Lib Dem high horse.
Digby Jones knows what the French are up to in Calais area and he is right.
Question 5 the "funny one"
Or not...
Thursday, 24 September 2009
Question Time tonight - 24 September 2009
Panellists tonight are:
Harriet Harman (Labour Cabinet Minister and potential candidate in any Labour leadership election)
Lord Heseltine (ex Conservative Minister and Euro-enthusiast, usually invited onto BBC programmes when mischief over "Tory splits" over Europe are required to take the attention off of the collapsing economy, Gordon Brown's latest PR disaster and/or the latest ministerial scandal/resignations)
David Laws (Lib Dem MP for Yeovil)
Lord Digby Jones (Ex Director of the CBI and one of Gordon Brown's GOATs. He was the man who said of his brief time in government that it was "one of the most dehumanising and depersonalising experiences" anyone could have, and that he had been amazed by how many civil servants he thought deserved the sack)
Fraser Nelson (Editor of the Spectator and one of the few journalists with the balls to ask Gordon Brown a difficult question and push the point)
When the Question Time panel has two right of centre politicians (if Michael Heseltine is indeed right of centre) then there is always a reason. Watch Harriet Harman and her occasional puppetDavid Dimbleby try and expose "Tory splits" so as to take the attention off of Labour's problems.
I wonder how the Question Time audience will be made up tonight...
Here's Fraser Nelson asking the difficult question and Gordon Brown answering a different question.
And here's Harriet Harman controlling David Dimbleby...
Harriet Harman (Labour Cabinet Minister and potential candidate in any Labour leadership election)
Lord Heseltine (ex Conservative Minister and Euro-enthusiast, usually invited onto BBC programmes when mischief over "Tory splits" over Europe are required to take the attention off of the collapsing economy, Gordon Brown's latest PR disaster and/or the latest ministerial scandal/resignations)
David Laws (Lib Dem MP for Yeovil)
Lord Digby Jones (Ex Director of the CBI and one of Gordon Brown's GOATs. He was the man who said of his brief time in government that it was "one of the most dehumanising and depersonalising experiences" anyone could have, and that he had been amazed by how many civil servants he thought deserved the sack)
Fraser Nelson (Editor of the Spectator and one of the few journalists with the balls to ask Gordon Brown a difficult question and push the point)
When the Question Time panel has two right of centre politicians (if Michael Heseltine is indeed right of centre) then there is always a reason. Watch Harriet Harman and her occasional puppetDavid Dimbleby try and expose "Tory splits" so as to take the attention off of Labour's problems.
I wonder how the Question Time audience will be made up tonight...
Here's Fraser Nelson asking the difficult question and Gordon Brown answering a different question.
And here's Harriet Harman controlling David Dimbleby...
What are they trying to say in this NHS anti-smoking advertisement?
Possibly the weirdest advert I have seen for a while and of course paid for out of our taxes.
Rat or pathfinder?
Many are saying that Shriti Vadera's resignation to work for the G20 is a case of a rat leaving a sinking ship. In this case I think not. Shriti Vadera has been very close to Gordon Brown for quite some time; I think it more likely that she is joining the G20 as a preparatory move to getting Gordon Brown a job at the G20, maybe a top job.
It must be nice to be in the loop!
It must be nice to be in the loop!
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