Nick Robinson is confused

Nick Robinson reports on his BBC blog that

"I began a spot of moonlighting presenting the Today programme on Radio 4 this morning. Feeling pretty smug at not messing up I emerged from the studio to be told that I'd spent the whole of a discussion about a possible cure for cancer referring to prostrate instead of prostate cancer."

I presume that Nick Robinson is thinking of how he normally prostrates himself in front of the Labour politician he is interviewing.

Free "Tube" travel

A team at Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands have cracked the Mifare chip that sits at the heart of many of the world's travel card systems including London's Oyster card. Now Dutch court has overturned an injunction sought by NXP (the makers of the travel smartcards used in London and elsewhere) to prevent publication of the details of how to copy Oyster cards. The researchers plan to publish their findings in October this year; I predict a flurry of activity at TfL in the meantime.

Opt-out?

I always thought that Britain had an opt-out of European Union legislation on the use of metric measurements. It appears that I was wrong as the EU have issued a new directive banning the use of the acre as a unit of measurement when land is being registered. The only measurement that will be allowed from 2010 onwards is the hectare.

You would have thought that our Government would have stood up for us, wouldn't you? Of course not, they rolled over and had their collective tummies tickled; after all it wouldn't do to upset our Lords and masters in Brussels.

Spot the similarity

Many people like to compare the EU with the USSR, maybe there is another comparison to be made. Burning Our Money has the details...

Social engineering alert

The class warriors at the BBC are reporting that

"The Equality and Human Rights Commission must be given the power to fight the class divide in Britain, its chairman has said.

Trevor Phillips told BBC Radio 4's World at One he would launch a "new assault" on inequality and wanted an extension to the organisation's remit.

...

A report by the commission says there is too much "vertical" division in Britain between social classes.

It states: "We are not just limiting our description [of inequality] by gender or race but we are also looking at this extremely important issue of class."

Mr Phillips said: "We have to tackle the causes that drive inequality in our society and I think, to be honest, the public is very, very keen on this at the present time.

"People can see the economic slowdown coming. Everyone is happy to take some of the pain as long as that pain is shared fairly and what we want to do is to make sure that the burden doesn't fall unfairly on some groups rather than others."

BBC home affairs editor Mark Easton said this was "a radical departure which is likely to be criticised by some as an implicitly political policy from a statutory body that must remain independent of party ideology".

It would "mean taking on the wealthy and educated middle class who are adept at playing the system to the advantage of their families", he added.

The commission was established in 2007, replacing the Equal Opportunities Commission."

Social engineering alert...

"An Englishman's home is his castle"

Not any more it isn't. The Mail reports that:

"The march of the Big Brother state under Labour was highlighted last night as it was revealed that there are now 1,043 laws that give the authorities the power to enter a home or business.

Nearly half have been introduced since Labour came to power 11 years ago."

Presumably these powers are all for vitally important matters? No, not really, here's a few:

"Invade your home to see if your pot plants have pests or do not have a 'plant passport' (Plant Health England Order 2005).

• Survey your home and garden to see if your hedge is too high (Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003).

• Seize fridges without the correct energy rating (Energy Information Household Refrigerators and Freezers Regulations 2004)."

As I have blogged before, the default view of the authoritarian scum in the Labour government is that we exist only to pay taxes and keep quiet. Any dissent will not be tolerated, their ideal scenario would be for us to pay 100% tax and have to apply for tax credits so as to have any money of our own.

Total Politics - Guide to Political Blogs 2008-9: Vote for your Top Ten Blogs

Iain Dale is promoting the upcoming "2008-9 Guide to Political Blogging in the UK". For blogs to get into this publication they will need to be voted in by the public. This modest blog achieved 90th place in last years voting, please remember NotaSheep in your votiog this year. To vote follow Iain's instructions:

Simply email your Top Ten (ranked from 1 to 10) to toptenblogs@totalpolitics.com. If you have a blog, please encourage your readers to do the same. I'll then compile the Top 100 from those that you send in. Just order them from 1 to 10. Your top blog gets 10 points and your tenth gets 1 point.

The deadline for submitting your Top 10 is Friday August 15th. Please type Top 10 in the subject line.

Once all the entries are in a lucky dip draw will take place and the winner will be sent £100 worth of political books!

The rules are simple:

1. Please only vote once
2. Only blogs based in the UK, run by UK residents are eligible or based on UK politics are eligible
3. Votes must be cast before Friday 15 August
4. Blogs chosen must be listed in the Total Politics Blog Directory.
5. You must send a list of TEN blogs, ranked. Any entry containing fewer than ten blogs will not count.
6. Anonymous votes left in the comments will not count. You must give a name

So, once again, the email address to send your TOP TEN BLOGS to is...

toptenblogs@totalpolitics.com

More anti-photographer news

I blogged a few weeks back about how it was becoming harder and harder to take photos in public. Now I read in The Mail that:

"A householder who took photographs of hooded teenagers as evidence of their anti-social behaviour says he was told he was breaking the law after they called the police."

Read the rest of the article, it's the usual story of the police preferring to clamp doen on a middle age, middle class householder rather than a couple of thugs.

The Labour party have more financial problems

I have blogged many times about the Labour party's financial problems. Now I read in the Independent that

"Labour is to delay repaying its "cash for honours" loans for up to a decade as it attempts to plug a £16m black hole in its finances.

Senior officials are holding urgent talks with wealthy backers about restructuring the debts as the party struggles to stave off a financial crisis. Loans worth millions of pounds are due for review by the end of October – several of them from men who became embroiled in the honours police investigation after they were nominated for peerages.

Party bosses say their wealthy lenders will agree to put loan repayments on hold for a year to allow the debts to be restructured so they can be paid back over between seven and 10 years."

Some questions... Is the Labour party actually insolvent? How long before the Labour government try to introduce state funding for political parties as a way of rescuing their finances?

Googling (update 14)

Not so sure about this one either, someone came to my site via Googling calais massage parlours - Why, how?

Sharia Law update

I see that Sharia law is back in the news, this time pertaining to Iran where 9 people are to be stoned to death for adultery. Here is the story. Is this our future in the UK?

Do you fancy a laugh?

If you fancy a laugh then do read Polly Toynbee's article in the Guardian's Comment is Free secction.

"This week saw the best crime figures ever and Ed Balls's enlightened £100m youth crime plan..." Boom boom

"News skitters out of control over small slips when a government loses grip, while gaffes bounce off the Teflon Tories..." Oh, that's a good one, very funny!

Do the read the rest at the Toynbee's article and take a look at the Comments as well, here's a few:

"Donut -

For what its worth.........

Unlike you Polly the public had their Damacene moment ages ago.Most people have for some time seen this govt not as a serious problem but a serious joke .

Two more years of this Polly and not only will people not be listening, the lights will be out and we'll have gone to bed"

"Wasson - For what its worth.........

Unlike you Polly the public had their Damacene moment ages ago.Most people have for some time seen this govt not as a serious problem but a serious joke .

Two more years of this Polly and not only will people not be listening, the lights will be out and we'll have gone to bed"

"Roas - A teenager dying of stab wounds every single day.

Let's not forget gas prices doubling, inflation rocketing, unions striking, policemen getting savaged by 30 delinquents in broad daylight for asking a girl to pick up a piece of litter, the mooting of a Mother of All Databases to finally record every text, e-mail, and phone call in Britain.

Can't imagine why Labour would want to bury any of that!"

"Jellybrain -

Polly,

I've got to laugh.

What good news?

Stabbings up

Dead in Afghanistan/Iraq up

Inflation up

Food prices up

fuel up

utilities prices up

consumer confidence down

quality SATS marking down

University/employer confidence in public exams down

Election manifesto promises on Europe betrayed

Public sector strikes up

NHS drugs denied to Englanders, but provided in Scotland

Tax on rich people down

Civil liberties betrayed

Fiscal prudence rules rewritten

Tax receipts declining

etc etc etc etc etc etc

Polly, you seem mystified that Labour are 25% in the polls. Its rather patronising of you to berateus for failing to notice the marvellous step change that Nu Lab have wrought in our country. THERE IS NO BLOODY GOOD NEWS. LABOUR ARE A TOTAL MESS. Trust me, that is the word out here in the real world."

And that's just on page 1, do read the rest it gave me a good laugh.

Crime is down?

No it bloody isn't. Read Burning Our Money for the details.

Brainwashing the Nation's children

I have blogged before about how the Nation's children have been being brainwashed for years now; you can read two of my previous articles including - here and here. So I was annoyed but not surprised to learn this week that:

"State school pupils are set to be taught Islamic traditions and values in compulsory citizenship lessons."

Read more in the Daily Mail

Could this work?

The Sunday Telegraph is reporting that:

"The man who delivered an historic "No" vote in Ireland against the EU's Lisbon Treaty has revealed far-reaching plans to give voters throughout Europe a peoples' referendum on the handover of power to Brussels.

Declan Ganley is planning to field more than 400 candidates in next June's European Parliament elections, in the 26 countries – including Britain – where voters have had no direct say on the treaty.

...

In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Mr Ganley disclosed that he was starting to raise £75 million from online donations to run candidates in all 12 of Britain's European Parliament constituencies, and in seats throughout the EU.

He will turn his pressure group, Libertas, into a party with just one policy: to fight the Lisbon Treaty, which many see as the rejected European Constitution by the back door.

"We will tell people that Libertas is the box you put your X in if you want to vote 'No' to the Lisbon Treaty. It's clear, it's simple," he said.

"The message will be: we are now giving you a referendum and it's going to take place in June of next year at the European elections.

"People across Europe will have the chance to send the same resounding clear message that Brussels cannot continue with this treaty that the Irish people have rejected. For this to provide a meaningful opportunity for this to be a referendum, you'd have to run at least 400 candidates across Europe.""

Oh do me a favour (part 2)

The headline is "'Ridiculous' health and safety rules tell carpenters to ban the broom ", the story can be read in The Telegraph Here's the first four paragraphs, have a read and a tut:

"Carpenters and woodworkers have been told not to use brooms to sweep up sawdust because they are considered dangerous under "ridiculous" new health and safety guidelines.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) claims that sweeping up wood chippings in dusty workplaces can provoke asthma attacks and long term exposure lead to nose cancer.

Instead they are advising carpentry firms to buy state-of-the-art vacuum cleaners and air purification systems which can cost thousands of pounds.

Small companies say they cannot afford the equipment but are repeatedly nagged to upgrade during safety checks."

What has happened to this Country, has all common sense disappeared?

Oh do me a favour

The headline is "Victim told to stay away from mall so child sex fiend can do his shopping", the story can be read in The Daily Record. Here's the first three paragraphs, have a read and a tut:

"A MUM has been told to stay away from a mall so the child sex pervert who abused her daughter is free to do his weekend shopping there.

James Bryson - who had charges of raping the five-year-old dropped when he pleaded guilty to other horrifying sex attacks on her - was freed on Thursday.

The girl's mum was horrified to find he was moving near her family and social workers had agreed he could have "shopping access" to her local centre at weekends."

What has happened to this Country?

Barack Obama - Another misspeak that will not get much coverage

Following in a line of postings about Barack Obama's mistakes that seem not to interest the BBC or most media outlets - 57 States, Barack Obama's oratorial skills, the 1993 WTC attempted bombing, Jerusalem undivided, Afro-American or Arab-American and on and on and on; here is another. Apparently Barack Obama said the followng during a recent interview:

"Throughout our history, America's confronted constantly evolving danger, from the oppression of an empire, to the lawlessness of the frontier, from the bomb that fell on Pearl Harbor, to the threat of nuclear annihilation. Americans have adapted to the threats posed by an ever-changing world."

"The bomb" that fell on Pearl Harbor? Does he know anything about the history of the "57 states" of America? Where does he claim to have been raised? Hawaii?

"How Strong Is the Arab Claim to Palestine?"

A very interesting article in Front Page from 2004 about who has a claim to Palestine; take a read.

Ah the memories

Echobelly - "Great things" from 1995.

Sonya Madan with possibly the largest mouth to face ratio of any singer ever, but cute with it. For some of the tightest trousers since Olivia Newton John's in Grease's "You're the one that I want" then take a look at the original promo video here.