Mmmm Toast

Tasteless Tail Of The Year

LINKS DEAD

Sheeran said the purpose of the sodomy law is not to protect a specific victim, necessarily, but ''to prevent people from debasing and dehumanizing themselves.''

I think that's a euphemism for moralising.

Not surprisingly this tale brings the old question to mind.
I'm into flagellation, bestiality and necrophilia, am I flogging a dead horse?

Or recently reported in the newspaper, a man was fined £500 for sodomising a goat, his chum was fined £600 for acting the goat. A quintessential bit of British humour, I can't see it translating around the world very well.

H/T Americablog

Japanese Whale Hunt Ended Early

Japanese government officials said the fleet had caught 508 of this season's target of 860 whales. Story

Not a complete victory for the forces of good, (2006 campaign) but a valiant and worthwhile effort in earning a respite for 352 minkes. beautiful creatures.

I'm crying my eyes out here. Will finish this Later.

The Face of Jose Pallida. The Shamless Face of America

A visit to the dentist.

Jose Padilla, fitted with blacked-out goggles, was videotaped by the government when he was allowed outside solitary confinement to see a dentist.

As this long shameless saga (listen/read) drags on through the sewage of Bush's America, prosecution officials (AKA Bush, Gonzales and the rest of this criminal gang) argued before federal judge Marcia Cooke,

that Padilla is wholly unharmed—after spending 1,307 days in a 9-foot-by-7-foot cell in a Navy brig in South Carolina, (update Slate) and links. this taken from the first link.

There is no need to go so far back to prove that the US military knew full well that it was driving Padilla mad. The army's field manual, reissued just last year, states: "Sensory deprivation may result in extreme anxiety, hallucinations, bizarre thoughts, depression, and antisocial behaviour" - as well as "significant psychological distress".

Slate: It has alienated our former allies and undermined basic principles of humane conduct. And yet the government now claims it is "irrelevant."

TalkLeft: Gonzalez: What We Did to Padilla is Irrelevant

More from TalkLeft on the supposed "evidence" and the methods used to obtain it.

The Jose Padilla Wiretaps

Jose Padilla Alleges Witness Statements Obtained Through Torture

On Pallida's "visit" to the dentist. The Torment of Jose Padilla and yes my dear,

"There should be a greater outcry over this."

David Kelly Update

For those wishing to view the BBC's documentary you can do so here.
I would recommend reading the comments first in the "Kelly death not suicide says MP"

Maybe This Religion Thing Has It's Upside

And I already know which team I play for, and it looks like it caters for all tastes. LINKS DEAD

Obese boy to remain with mother

Health experts met to decide the future of the eight-year-old, who weighs more than 14 stone (89kg).

It is kind of pushing it, the kid is only eight after all.
Has the state the right to interfere? Where does the right of the state to take action begin and end?
As Richard Dawkins argues, brain washing kids with religion can be just as harmful in the long term, and I argue the case myself that it can be fatal,

Driving Lessons, Child Abuse, And A Nation Obsessed.

Building Seven. WTC.7

Now I'm not the kind of person that sees a conspiracy under every bush (I beg pardon) BUT, what do you make of this?

WTC 7 collapse reported 30 minutes before it happened

Live BBC footage broadcast on 9/11

Christian Logic

What can I say? These people are seriously insane.

“We are both living miracles,” Kay corrected, squeezing Carl’s hand. “God was with us throughout the entire ordeal.”

“God is in control of all things and He will get the glory from this,” Carl said. “Even though it was a frightening experience, God was still in that room with us. We were protected. I can’t wait to see how He is glorified and His Kingdom expanded from this.”

.

Missionaries sense God's presence after Tanzania shooting
2/26/2007

NAIROBI, Kenya (BP)--Southern Baptist missionaries Carl and Kay Garvin are in stable condition after two robbers attacked them Feb. 23 in Tanzania.

The two Arkansas natives were airlifted to Nairobi, Kenya, where Carl, 60, underwent surgery for a broken arm and lacerations. He also will have surgery to repair ligament damage to his knee. Kay, 56, was shot in the chest. The bullet entered close to her heart, missing the aorta by half an inch. It went through the lung and nestled against the skin on her back. The surgeon will make an incision to “pop out” the bullet.

“She’s a walking, talking miracle,” Carl said from his hospital bed. Despite being shot in the chest, Kay had no damage to her heart or lung.
“We are both living miracles,” Kay corrected, squeezing Carl’s hand. “God was with us throughout the entire ordeal.”

The nightmare began the night of Feb. 23 when two robbers entered their hotel room. The Garvins were working with an Arkansas volunteer team in an area south of Moshi, Tanzania. The two intruders beat the hotel door down with a panga (machete). Carl tried holding the door but an arm swinging the panga crashed through. The panga sliced into Carl’s forearm, breaking it and slicing it open. The second intruder entered the room and shot Kay in the chest.

A former nurse for 30 years, with emergency medical training, Carl's medical training took over. He immediately applied pressure to the chest wound and treated Kay, an action that medical consultants say probably saved her life. He also wrapped his arm and applied pressure to stop his own bleeding.

“We can see God’s hand in everything, from saving our lives to putting a driver there,” Kay said.

With no ambulances in this part of Tanzania, the Garvins’ car became the impromptu emergency vehicle. Carl said with his broken arm, there was no way he could drive. With no cell phone service in this area, Carl was unsure how they would be able to get medical attention when a Tanzanian man stepped forward and announced he would drive them the two hours to the nearest clinic.

The Arkansas volunteers rode in the car with the Garvins and immediately started ministering to the injured missionaries. One of the volunteers prayed continuously throughout the journey, the stop at the Moshi clinic and until the couple were put on a plane for further treatment. Another, who was a nurse, applied pressure to Kay’s chest wound and made her as comfortable as possible along the bumpy African roads. The third volunteer sang praise and worship songs for the entire journey.

Kay acknowledged they are walking and talking miracles because so many people around the world interceded for them. Word went out on the International Mission Board prayer network, while their son, a pilot in the Air Force, got word out on the Air Force prayer network. The church where Carl was a pastor, First Baptist Church in Valley Springs, Ark., also joined the prayer efforts.

“God is in control of all things and He will get the glory from this,” Carl said. “Even though it was a frightening experience, God was still in that room with us. We were protected. I can’t wait to see how He is glorified and His Kingdom expanded from this.” IMB

The Hand Of God: Christian Logic

More Christian Logic

Faithful See Jesus In Tree

Yeah right

I have to update this story in spite of having shut down for the night and was just about to give myself up to the embrace of the feathers. Heading down the hallway I halted abruptly, whoa, whoa lad, it's a bloody tree, a goddamn tree. People have actually been visiting a tree, lighting candles under it, leaving cards, and doing christ knows what while they are about it.

I was about to ask; Have we come so far, that such bizarre behaviour is totally acceptable in our society, lighting candles for a tree? people have visited a tree, and performed acts that are truly astounding. It is a tree, a tree, a tree. People have shamelessly stood underneath a tree for all the world to witness, and no doubt felt smug and pious and proud as being among those that have taken part in such a ritual, a ritual that were it not done in the name of some deity would earn you a stay in that nice big house in the country with three hundred other guests who live there on a semi-permanent basis.

But we haven't "come that far" we've never left it behind us, three parts of mankind have been worshipping strange nic nacs or some religious gee gaws since the beginning of time.

Surely, it must be time we stopped?

Don't Tell The Bloody Japanese

Spain tells ships to avoid whales.

The Spanish navy has advised ships in the Strait of Gibraltar to slow down to avoid hitting whales.

Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting

Except those that carry Nines.

A point of view from that lovable rascal Clive James.

I have been a great fan of the man ever since reading his Unreliable Memoirs.

Kelly Death. Update

Although I started to take notes, to carry on doing so would have meant virtually transcribing the whole show. I am a little off colour So I am going to offer only this and then the primary links that are germane to the show.

Shorter; In my opinion, murder and cover up 90% likely.
Subsequent actions that wavered from set protocols, highly suspicious, and the idea that Iraq was responsible, a non starter.

First link: Web site that featured prominently in the show.
Dr David Kelly.

Second: The program and BBC.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/conspiracy_files/

Third: Google search.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=the+kelly+investigation+group&btnG=Search&meta

Why I Love The Internets. (When The Tubes Ain't Blocked)

Best analogy; heading out to dine on escargot and finding you have a taste for possum, then before you leave the restaurant you hear a tune that takes you back to all the times you sat in a coffee bar planning your next assault on fourth form knicker elastic, and maybe as a reward for your evil thoughts you'd meet something scary on your way home.

Don't F**k With Grandad

Tourist kills Costa Rican mugger.

Nisshin Maru Gets Underway. Whaler Restarts Engines

And it is no more a "Cull" than it is "Research"

Japan is strongly opposed to the international ban on commercial whaling. It hunts whales every year under what it describes as a scientific research programme.

This year Japan says it plans to cull 850 minke whales and 10 fin whales.

Well They Would Wouldn't They

Many people have asked me why I'm doing this.

There are other concerns to consider as well, however. A real risk is the toothpick fish.

So, Why Now?

The fear among some is that the US is softening up world opinion for an attack on Iran. Such an attack would be aimed at Iran's nuclear facilities.

Kelly death not suicide, says MP

An MP investigating the death of Dr David Kelly says he is convinced the weapons scientist did not kill himself.

This story has never smelled right, let's see what the Program comes up with.

Update. Preview

Israel seeks all clear for Iran air strike

Israel is negotiating with the United States for permission to fly over Iraq as part of a plan to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.

Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Us Into Stanley

How to make friends and influence people.
I wouldn't trust these guys to run a piss up in a brewery.

The Best Tax Ever

This was a great move by the Irish, why more governments don't adopt it I really don't know, the figures are staggering.

2002 saw a drop in annual plastic bag consumption drop from 328 per head to just 21.

Five years on, I still have, and use, my permanent shopping bags, I think a post or two less on the blog and spend the time lobbying for the introduction in this country would make a great deal of sense.

Anybody out there fancy joining me in setting up a pressure group? email me if you do. (email in profile)

North Or South?

North or South?
There's only one.
You did say Ireland?
I did.
North or South?
There's still only one.

Some would cotton on, some would look at me all queer like. For the latter, I would tell them I didn't want to send me parcel to "the North of Ireland."

So you want to send it to Southern Ireland?
Well I want to send it to the South of Ireland.
So it's going to Southern Ireland?
There's only one.
Where is you want to send the parcel to?
The South of Ireland, County Cork to be exact.
Right, County Cork Southern Ireland.
No, County Cork in the South of Ireland.
First or second?
First.
That'll be three pounds sixty five.

And all the time yer man behind the counter, for I can see it in his eyes, is thinking 'I've got a right idiot here' when all the time, given the conversation we've just been having, should be thinking, 'What kind of eejit is it that I'm serving here?'  but he's not; what harm?

And it's a lie I would be telling ye if that's not the game I would be playing every time I was sending a bit of something to Ireland, for there's still only one.
There'd be the six counties in the North of Ireland, that still fly that much reviled flag of empire, but geographically and morally, if not politically, there's still only one.

Now I'd be hoping that there'd be no whore mad enough to be waving one this Saturday, for there's something a bit special going to be going off at Croke Park this Saturday, yer see the English are going to be there, though it's invited that they are, there be a lot of folk remembering the last time they came team handed there'd be no such invitation at all at all.

Now leaving mad whore's out of it, there going to be at least one flag of empire, and sure that'd be one more than a lot folk would be wanting, and if the flag is as welcome as a bag o'spuds gone bad, then what's folk going to be feeling when the English start singing about the owd bitch who's previous family members reigned over the Irish far too long, and far too victorious for anybodies liking, in fact I would say there going to be vexed, fierce vexed in fact.

Then there be the Hill, now I can't see the GAA allocating Hill tickets to the English, but why do I have this little vision of some cute whore touting a bunch of Hill tickets to a bunch of locked English fans just for devilment.

For haven't I stood on that hallowed Hill meself, and the view is mighty, and the craic it's ninety. But then isn't it a frustrated Irishman that I am? I just happened to be born in England of English parents. Not so very much unlike the fellow I'd be knowing, the staunchest of Republicans that was born this side of the water and he adopted the philosophy, that being born in a stable doesn't make ye a donkey. Well he would have to now wouldn't he?

So what was I doing on the Hill meself? Watching me first Hurling match, and at the intervals it was watching the sunlight shine through the flimsiest of skirts that the young creature in front of me was wearing, a home-made bit of thing in the Offlay colours, sure to this day I don't know how I stopped meself from taking huge bites at her arse, she was a treasure.

Now where was it that I was? ah the Hurley, if you're going to watch a match what better than
the All Ireland Final, Offlay versus Kilkenny, Sure it was a grand day altogether, it was "The Finesht"

Well what started out to be a political rant seems to have turned into, I don't know what, a bit of a story I suppose, that's the land of the faeries for ye, that's Ireland, and there's still only one.

Well nearly. Tiocfaidh ár lá

I Swear By Almighty God The Evidence I Give

Shall be cut and pasted from the internet.
Jesus H, what next?

Update, Five years in the big house.
Cops to review seven hundred cases.

Blogger Jailed For Four Years

Dead Link.

Egyptian blogger Abdel Kareem Soliman jailed for insulting Islam.

Colossal Squid

Live specimen caught.

It's The Dog's Bollocks Of A Story

Well scrotum to be precise.

For those unfamiliar with some of the more delicate nuances of the English language.
"It's the dog's bollocks." it don't come any better, "It's the business" if you will.
"You've made a right dog's bollocks of that" you've made a complete mess of that.

Is This An Omen

I was looking for an image in order to have a play in PaintShop, look what popped up.

New Link

Fast Tracked Laws (subtitled)

Fast Tracked Laws.

Fast Tacked To Where. (Guantanamo Bay, Secret Prisons, or just Good Ol' US Ones?)
Fast Tracked To What. (American Justice?)
Fast Tracked To Whom. (A trusted partner?)

Or is that the new euphemism for riding rough shod over due process?

White collar criminals have been the main targets of draconian of new British "fast tracked" laws designed to speed up the extradition of terrorists to the US.
No alleged terrorists have yet to face US courts using the new rules which allow suspects to be sped through British courts without American prosecutors having to show a reasonable case against them.

The legislation brought in as a response to the September 11 attacks has seen the time taken from the arrest of a suspect to their removal for trial in America drop from nearly three years to just over eleven months.
But the home office admits that none of the twenty nine suspects so far sent to the US are alleged terrorists.

The new statistics are set to reignite the row over over the extradition of the so called Nat West Three were sent to the Us last July and charged with fraud relating to the collapsed energy giant Enron.
The row flared after British authorities investigating the alleged offences found their was no case to answer. snip.

Also included was Jeremy Crook, an IT executive who was flown shackled to to US agents to America in September last year. He is due to stand trial in August next year.

Last October the government defended the treaty because it was "dealing with a trusted partner." But Tory MPs said the law was weighted against UK citizens. They said British authorities had to produce prima facia evidence showing "probable cause" to extradite an American, but the US had only to show that allegations had been made. snip

Five terror suspects are currently fighting extradition to the US, but of the fifty five "fast track" cases cases in the past three years, nine out of ten suspects are facing non-terror charges in the US. During the same period Britain has asked for just fourteen people from America.

To borrow a phrase, "Mister Blair, why do you hate Britain?" Just go, you shabby little man.

From a print article, Mail on Sunday, Feb 18 2007. "White Collar criminals sent to US by terror extradition law." by Jason Lewis.
Emphasis mine.

Update.
the sole reason for his detention was a US extradition request.

Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter

LINKS DEAD

Freedom Justice and the new American way

Only In America

Only In America could you witness such a rank display of hypocrisy.

US Congress calling on Tokyo to apologise for the country's use of sex slaves in wartime.

We won't mention two atomic bombs dropped on Japanese civilians.

Two million plus dead Vietnamese.
Fifteen million tons of munitions and napalm dropped on them.
Eighteen million gallons of dioxins sprayed on them.
The terrible legacy of ongoing birth defects as a result of said dioxins.

The murder of Six hundred thousand Iraqi's, probably ending in who knows how many.
A country and it's infrastructure destroyed.
Who knows how many tons of Depleted Uranium dispersed on the land.
The legacy of that DU for thousands of years, and all the horrors associated with it that even as I write are all too apparent.

No we won't mention these things, they are nothing compared to that which you seek an apology for.
You sick repressed sons of bitches, go home Yankee and take your hypocrisy and your death machine with you, you disgust me.

The Trouble With Predictictions

Is that they have the unfortunate habit of proving a fellow correct, for the most part at least.At times, as in all things, there are exceptions, and not always unfortunate.The primary case on my part being that, given all the shenanigans that have surrounded DieBold and the other electronic vote machine suppliers, when predicting the results for the recent mid-terms, the Dems to retake Congress? not a hope! Nice to be wrong on that one.

Of other predictions; a couple proving to be correct, a few heading that way, and a couple await the future. That is of those that spring to mind, should others resurface then perhaps an update later.

Of this pre-emptive strike, known since Nineteen Forty Five as a War of Aggression, the principle charge I might add that the Nazis were indicted on. Actually a mistake in the writing on my part, for a war of aggression has always been such. But to the victors go the spoils, and the spoils in this case being that a war of aggression was to be now deemed a crime against humanity, an interesting concept don't you think?

So when this war of aggression began, to much beating of drums, unfurling of flags and "Patriotic" jingoism, you remember don't you? I ventured an opinion that just like the Vietnam war, for it is impossible not to compare the two, that once again we would witness another generation of messed up young Americans return from the horrors that are modern warfare.And that this messed up generation of America's patriotic sons would be treated as that other generation of young "Patriots" were treated.Not yet social pariahs, that as yet remains to be seen, but treated nonetheless, how shall I put it, somewhat shabbily, as the recent revelations from the Walter Reed are showing us, but equally if not more so messed up.

I asked at the time of writing a question, as sincere then as now, not unsurprisingly I still await an answer, there being fewer and fewer that could give me one as the years pass.It was of those that fought in that other great conflict, the Second Great War, and the question was. Did your generation come back equally as messed up but we just didn't hear about it, or did knowing that having right and fighting for justice and to free the world of tyranny somehow make the burden of you were asked to commit and to witness somehow more bearable?If there any of that generation reading this and have a desire to give an answer I am sure I am not alone in wondering what your response would be.

On the legacy of Depleted Uranium, that is something I would like to cover separately.

On lighter subjects then, just the two for the moment.Scooter, (my best defence,I can't remember) Libby. You are toast. Soon to be proved right or wrong.

Keith Olberman will become the next "Giant" in television journalism, or however it is named.

America will look back with fondness at the four dollar a gallon gasoline prices when the House of Saud falls.

As it will surely fall, hastened undoubtedly as a result of my final prediction, that being.Bush has lit a fire that will not be extinguished in our our children's lifetime, least of all our own.

Should you doubt my last prediction, perhaps then you should watch this fifty minute documentary from Channel Four UK. It bodes ill for the future.

Not Even In America, Surely?

I have a severe case of the vapours, I must lie down.

Or am I lying down and this is a nightmare?

Whale I Never!

Whale I never thought I would be getting a warm fuzzy feeling from this story.

Divine intervention from Neptune perhaps? It seems the factory processing vessel Nisshin Maru has been having a spot of bother in Antarctic waters, or should I the "Research Vessel" Nisshin Maru.

The vessel was quoted to be "Dead in the water" just like the eight hundred and fifty Minke whales would have been as the Japanese hunted them for "Research purposes"

That sounds like an awful lot of research to me, whatever will the world do now that such important work has come to a grinding halt, perhaps join me as I shed a tear?

And how tearful the last paragraph in the story, how tearful indeed?

The score at half time then, Bastards 0 Whales 1

Right foot forward, a bend at the waist, and a sweeping flourish of the hat to the activists of Sea Shepherd.

Company For Gromit?

.

Well old lad, looks like you may be getting a bit of company.

Be Delusional,Go To War, But No Tits

Wage war full of delusion, but can't have tits, no tits, tits not nice.
Icky bits not nice. 600,000 murdered that's OK, but no icky bits.
Jesus Christ Almighty, give me bleeding strength !

Only In America

Jeebus. You are a repressed bunch.
Drop big bombs on people, but no tits, can't have tits, and no icky bits, oooh no, definately no icky bits.

The Cruelest Race

.

The Cruellest *Race Of People On The Face Of The Earth

That is how a woman of my acquaintance described the Iranians.

In most everything I have researched I have yet to find much, if anything, to refute her claim.

It must be noted that the lady that made this claim is a strong, serious professional, (head Sister of an intensive care unit) and was in fact married to an Iranian and lived in Iran between Nineteen Seventy Four and Nineteen Eighty Five.

It might be of interest also to note, given that this period included the taking of the embassy hostages, that she was unaware that the hostage situation was ongoing or even existed.

My intention in writing on this subject is to try to bring to attention the unenviable situation that is the lot of women who live under Sharia law/ Code and Islam. Though the two are different entities, they are but one. Sharia law is the law of Islam.

The Iranian revolution celebrated its twenty-sixth anniversary this week and I am of years sufficient to remember it well.

Well I remember it, but more importantly I remember the “Cultural Revolution” and the ensuing bloodbath and the slaughter of thousands who’s crimes included the capital crime of apostasy (the rejection of Islam) to “Enemy of the revolution,” the former being written in Sharia law and the latter we can take as a euphemism for educated, and as history has shown exacted a no lesser punishment.

Not surprisingly one group that was targeted in the subsequent purges were some twenty thousand teachers, who by virtue of being educated were all seen as enemies of the revolution, or were else arrested on some hitherto unknown crime.

It was perhaps at this point that the seed for this article was first sown.The moment has never left me as I laid witness to the evening news showing some poor tearful woman being led away to her death, her only crime being that she was a teacher, and no doubt her crime compounded by nothing more than that she was female.

As well you can imagine, it was with no little dismay that I first viewed the photograph that heads this article.

Dismay turning to disbelief, disbelief that any society could commit such an atrocity on a girl of sixteen years. To snuff out the life of something so precious as that which is a young girl, such a precious precious thing.
To snuff out that precious life and show the world the contempt these men of Islam feel for this wretched girl. Their contempt and cruelty hung in the public square, as she herself is, hung like some worthless piece of meat as a testimony to their injustice, their barbarity and this thing they dare call the religion of peace.

Disbelief to turn to anger, anger to turn to rage, rage to fury, and yes fury to turn to hatred. A hatred I might add that is cemented in me, cemented for all time. To hate with such a passion is far from good, for it can destroy a man, it weakens him so, it leaves him tired and spent, for hatred is a fierce consumer of energy and energy is something I have little enough to spare.

But in writing of this travesty I must put such hatred aside, for I must not let such feelings obscure the intent of this piece, which is to write about the short tragic life of Atefeh Sahaaleh and perhaps then bring to your attention the plights of other women and girls who are forced to endure the barbarities and consequences of living under this religion that calls its self Islam.Make no mistake in thinking that evil men are misinterpreting Sharia law to further there own ends, there is no need to misinterpret. Sharia law is an evil upon this earth and evil men do it’s bidding.

Before I continue let me make this statement; I make no apologies for where I draw the material from or links I provide for the purpose of writing this article. Everybody has his or her own agenda, mine here is to try in my own small way to expose what is happening in Iran today.

It is not my intention to enter into an argument of Left/Right politics or what took place under the puppet rule of the Shah. The regime of the Shah was but a brief spell in modern history, what I discuss here is the contemporary culmination of centuries of Sharia law that results in the cruelties, barbarism, and misogyny that is manifestly displayed in twenty-first century Iran.

My attention was first drawn to the plight, though post mortem, of Atefeh when I read the transcript of a FrontPage Symposium discussing her case and that of other women in modern day Iran.

But before we examine the transcript a few points to bear in mind that are brought to light in the video.

The age of consent in Iran for a girl is nine years of age, and as such she is responsible in law. (fifteen for a Male)

Atefah received her first jail sentence and one hundred lashes at the age of thirteen for “Crimes against chastity”

She subsequently received two more jail terms for the same offence.

And her fourth and final arrest was based upon an anonymous petition whose only signatures were those of two members of the “Moral police” who’s overtures Atefah had rebuffed on the evening of her release from her first jail term.

(From the video) Iranian lawyer Shadi Sadr said (31mins 35secs) “It normally takes six months for an appeal to be heard, this took place within twenty days and a decision was handed down on the same day. Something is very odd in this case but I can’t put my finger on it.”

It is here that I draw your attention to Haji Rezaii who, as is the way of the Iranian judicial system, gathers the evidence and acts as both prosecutor and judge. And once having tried, found guilty and then passed the death sentence on Atefah took it upon himself to present Atefah’s case to the court of appeals.

This then from the first page, the highlights are mine and in this first paragraph are designed to draw attention to questions alluded to by Shadi Sadr (above) as she asked in the BBC documentary.

She (Atefah)defended herself at the so-called trial ) She told the religious judge, Haji Rezaii, that he should punish the main perpetrators of moral corruption not the victims. I've also heard charges(which I had suspected would be the story) that the Mullah judge, Haji Rezai, who was also the proud executioner, had in fact wanted her for himself as a "temporary wife" and because either she or her parents had refused him, he had become enraged and had turned against her and falsified her age as 22, so that he could execute her.


Update: I can't keep up with clips being removed. I'm sure you can find the complete thing on Youtube if you're interested.

Caution. At 26mins 55secs, duration 45secs, there are brief scenes from an actual stoning and a hanging. If you do watch, perhaps I might suggest you watch the actions of the mob rather than the fate of the victims.
Fortunately in the case of the former the video is of very poor quality.


The full transcript of the symposium is here, I urge you to read it in it’s entirety for it sheds light on many things, not least the psyche of the Iranian male and the misogynist society of Iran.

The Execution Of A Teenage Girl. BBC 49 mins.



2 3 4 5 6

Atefeh Sahaaleh Born Neka 1988 Murdered Neka 2004 Rest In Peace Next time, temporary marriages, stoning and other injustices. *What ever you do, don't leave a comment telling me that Iranians are not a race, I am well aware of that.

For Women

I rise up singing from your belly,
like some glad keeper of the palace swans
content to serve your navel
as an acolyte would serve his unseen god
and take your perspiration as communion.

Rolling now together in our bedroom world
We’ll map out elbows and each other’s backs.
There are some parts of you
that have no highways.
Hairy forests cover even well-worn paths
but every forest has its own surprises
and the hiker coming through the glade
can only marvel as Columbus would
at sailing past the old world’s edge.

Rod McKuen.

For women everywhere.

This Is What You Call Cool.

Americablog, not to be confused with this one (hardly likely) recently ran a cartoon, the subject matter being skeletons, and went on to run an update of a real life, or more aptly, a real death discovery of a pair of human skeletons.
I noticed it was filed under "Cool Stuff" which in all fairness it is.

The story did however trigger the old grey cells and I came up with what must be one of the super coolest archaeological finds ever.

After their death 80 million years ago,* both skeletons were fossilized,.....

* Possible time discrepancy of 79,992,000 years, dependant on your religion.

All Warm And Fuzzy

.
Everybody gets them, well most everybody.You know what I'm talking about, the animal moments, the ones that make you go ahhh, and you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Pictures of small furry animals, "dog risks all" stories. "Fearless dog snatches new born twins and confused granny from the jaws of death as runaway train/car/boat/plane..... those kind of moments.

I get them too, and never more so than when someone has captured it on film for posterity. Those lovely ahhhh moments, when the bull gets it just right and the matador gets it all wrong.

Those lovely moments, captured for all time, allowing us to replay ad infinitum that precise moment when the deadly horn of that much tormented, bloodied and weakened bull, enters the soft vulnerable flesh of it's tormentor.

Those lovely but fleeting moments as the horn takes it's upward and sweeping path on it's way to gore and disembowel, wishing and hoping, that as the deadly spike follows such a curve, it has been fortuitous and removed certain appendages, appendages that would more commonly be described as manhood, but alas, a misnomer in cases such.

Those ahhh moments that give way to moments of excitement, moments that are not unlike those to be found at, shall we say, a football game. It's the last minute of the last quarter, your team has possession and it's all to play for, and as the play commences you find yourself screaming unrestrained at the TV set, shouting words of advice and encouragement, giving little thought that such words go unheard and are entirely irrational; the blood is up and the moment is at hand.
Though not I, it must be said, I use the football game purely as an analogy, truth be told I think I would sooner find myself aground on a lee shore that suffer a football game; but that's another matter.

But for myself I have always found these moments, these moments of advantage, occur at the beginning of a match, before one side has even made an opening gambit.Whilst still strong and not yet bloodied, the less fancied of the contenders in this uneven match, takes the initiative of surprise and leaps headlong into the fray, and instantly the game's afoot

As the bull shakes off it's confines, and with charge and a mighty leap, clears the barricade into the crowd of unsuspecting but much surprised specimens of failure, that I will not honour with terms normally associated with our species. And how more failed could specimens be than these wretches who have sunk to a level below the gutter, so low as to part with gold in order to sit in comfort to watch such a spectacle of depravity and label it entertainment.

Now as the maddened bull deviates from the planned program and I watch as peerless and priceless masks of horror sets the faces of these collective failures. I, like the football supporter, irrationally scream my instructions, and as such my support, "Left, go left, that's it, oh what a wonderful connection. Straight on now, two with one stone, yes trample that sonofabitch, and yes the bitch herself, a quick flick of the head that's it, oh doesn't she look good on the end of that horn, onward onward, there's plenty more to be had, what joy, what justice."

Every dog has his day, on occasion the bull his glory, and me, a warm fuzzy moment.

But unfortunately the same cannot be said for that most magnificent of of creatures, the whale. Born and bred, and some to die in horrific circumstances long before their time Born and bred in that element that is their own, their natural habitat, which should afford them the safety and sanctuary that is their right, for the oceans of this planet are not the habitat of man.

For these much to be pitied, poor defenceless creatures, no dog day for them, no warm and fuzzy feeling will they experience. No Captain Ahab moments for them as they dive the ocean depths with their tormentor, entangled in his own tools of death, strapped to their backs; the same tools that would have in turn, visited death upon them, their families and their companions.

No Ahab moments alas, only moments of respite as this race of despicable failures hound you to your deaths in the name of "Scientific Research"

I hope your fucking boat sinks and takes every man jack of you with it.



A few short clips. Yesssss.

The Big Second Rude Quiz

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

When Russia Holds The Moral High Ground It's Time To Take A Good Look In The Mirror

Mr Putin told senior security officials from around the world that nations were "witnessing an almost uncontained hyper use of force in international relations"."One state, the United States, has overstepped its national borders in every way," he said, speaking through a translator."This is very dangerous. Nobody feels secure anymore because nobody can hide behind international law.

Bush's whiny little bitch, Lieberman, removed himself from the President's crotch briefly in order to yap the following, still not yet realising nobody gives a rat's ass what this despicable little neocon toad has to say.

While the new US defence secretary had little to say about the speech, US Senator Joseph Lieberman described it as "provocative."Its rhetoric "sounded more like the Cold War", the senator said.

Followed by Saint (what a wonderful President I would be) McCain.

And Republican Senator John McCain added: "Moscow must understand that it cannot enjoy a genuine partnership with the West so long as its actions at home and abroad conflict fundamentally with the core values of the Euro-Atlantic democracies. In today's multi-polar world there is no place for needless confrontation." more BBC

How do I follow that?

What's In A Browser?

Sure I wouldn't be knowing, all I'd be knowing is one can cut the mustard and one can't.

When the mustard is copy/paste that is. I have spent more hours than I have digits trying to get texts to paste in the same configuration as they were copied, I.E. (7) now there's an abbreviation for you, id est the poem below.

No matter what I tried I always end up with one continuous block of text, in the finish I typed the poem from scratch in the "Compose " window.
Going by this laborious route I at least ended up with separate lines if not paragraphs, even they wanted to amalgamate, hence all the little full stops that can be found throughout the blog.

Then a little bird whispered in my ear, I listened to his advice, implemented it, and a very short story was born.

Are you sitting comfortably? then I'll begin.
Install FireFox, copy, paste, perfect result, end of story.

After switching to Firefox from IE, blogging has gone from nightmare to a pleasure, IE is NFG whatsoever for blogging.

Forever grateful to that little bird AKA The Bare Foot Bum.

Dubya You've Spent What Wasn't Yours To Spend

Dubya You've Spent What Wasn't Yours To Spend

You have spent the good will of the world

This piece came about as a result of the Cole enquiry into the Australian Wheat Board (AWB) inquiry paying "commissions" to Saddam Hussein to accept our exports.

Not a single individual (in the AWB) received a benefit, but our wheat-farmers retained their Iraqi market short term.

A Poem From Oz

A Cynical Sceptic

There's a bucket load of crap that's being spread around the world

and were tugging on the coat tails of the biggest flag unfurled,

I can't believe the bullshit that our pollies try to push-

For "Freedom and Democracy" and their pall bearer "Bush"!

The world stood 'with' our Yankee mates that sad September day

and strained real hard against the bit to leap into the fray

to show those evil mongrels that you just can't do that stuff!

We waited for the invite so we'd stand together tough.

And George, your European allies, you treated with disdain?

Piss on your mates to stand alone? where's your bloody brain?

The principals you represent, you've trampled underfoot.

Withdrawal of rights! pre-emptive strikes! (Morality's hard put!)

We joined you in Afghanistan. That was just and right!

But you bombed a bit, sprayed some shells and then just left the fight?

Hell-bent on another path - left the Afghans in the mire

to purse some flaky doctrine that your "Neocons" aspire.

The mongrels of September hailed from countries far and wide

Tunisia, Algeria and Saudi 'rabia's side.

Were trained in the Afghan', Sudan and Yemenee

their funds came through Italian banks and those of Germany.

Some met in Indonesia and Malaysia no duress-

were taught to fly, (and here's the rub) you guessed it-the Us!

Those countries-"there" were all involved in that September's whack.

The logical response? You say - "We must attack Iraq!"

That despots should be toppled so their people can be free

is appropriate, but bloody hell, not so selectively.

Mugabe is an evil prick who gives his people hell

but do you care for suffering there? Not that I can tell!

To justify agendas "hid" you create a smoking gun!

Bullshit is still bullshit mate, no matter how it's "spun."

No Balkan Coalition where the World united stood

against one mongrel despot to get rid of him for good!

Now we can't point the finger 'cause we're also hypocrites

in our trading practises and that gives me the shits!

We slip some backdoor money to the biggest prick around

while standing tall with hand on heart, profess we're honour bound.

Howard, Vale and Downer are three pretty astute blokes

yet their amnesia's "collective"? - More like collective jokes.

Three hundred million dollars, and they can't remember squat?

If we tried that, we wouldn't last! they'd have us damn well shot!

Our leaders puff their chests out while strutting on World's stage

treating us like kindergarten kids not not quite of age.

Beating drums for false crusades through doctrines they impel -

you lied to us you bastards! May you rot in fucken hell!!

Reprinted with kind permission of Manfred Vijars copyright - 2006

Nice one Manny, thank you.

Just Another Step Closer

There are times that I yearn for youth fled and there are times like this one when I think p'raps not.
As this jewel once called England that moved sedately in time honoured fashion as once did the glaciers, and now as the glacier hastens inevitably to the sea, so we do hurry, with ner a sound as we step nearer to totalitarianism; what care I? my time all but past. Past like the passions that once burned in this race of islanders as they took to the streets, to roads and green hedged country lanes, with banners aloft proclaiming their defiance, marching for causes just, led by good men of the day, the Michael Foot's of this country, and there were those that marched behind the not so good, the Scargill's of this world. But cause just or cause not, they did march, and they marched with passion, but seems all passion is spent now as we watch our individuality slip away , like the glacier to the sea. What Care I?

Are You An Angry Motorist?

.
Are you an angry motorist? asks BBC's Newsnight. (video)

Well, like all easy targets who see speed cameras as having little effect on road safety, if not an *adverse effect*, but solely as a means of raising revenue, yes I do get pissed, mightily pissed in fact. But there again I can't say I have ever been as angry as Basil. Fawlty Towers - Gourmet Night - Car

* * As with all statistics it is far too easy to be selective to produce the desired result. Google for yourself to draw your own conclusion. A couple of results here, one US report on red light cameras, albeit a separate issue.
And another report from the US thenespaper.com on the goings on in England.

Author and site owners do not endorse the type of activism that is reported by Newsnight.

Only In America

Only in America

could they give the world this * or this, they also gave the world this, I know they have money to burn, but surely they are not going to give us this!

*Large program

It's Too Much To Bear

.
Rabid Shih-Tzu and Cuntistry in the same place that is.
It was only after watching the snarling little bitch that I was reminded of something I would preferred to have forgotten, Shih-Tzu and Cuntistry being extolled in the same vomit inducing flash presentation.

Nausea ad nauseum accompanied to the tune of "American Girl" and yes, you can even vote for the "Hottest Patriotic Babe" at the end of the flash, aren't you lucky?

Barf bag at the three minute mark.

H/T. C&L Sadly, No

The Mother And Father Of Understatements

U.S. sent pallets of cash to Baghdad

Bills weighing a total of 363 tons were loaded onto military aircraft in the largest cash shipments ever made by the Federal Reserve,

"I acknowledge that I made mistakes and that, with the benefit of
hindsight, I would have made some decisions differently," Bremer said.

It would be nice to think that you would.

Why Am I Famous?

.
Why am I famous? (for taking a pee)

Waupaca Co. judge blasts rules behind state sex offender registry

Youthful offenses different from true crimes, Kirk says

By Dan Wilson Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers.

WAUPACA — A Waupaca County judge whose decision in a sexual-assault case was overturned by a court of appeals said Thursday the state's sex offender registry is a "travesty."

The above from the original story.
Below, a snippet from a very comprehensive comment by a reader,
and he's not missed much, fair play to you ZMan6919 who ever you be.

ZMan6919
* These laws are cruel and unusual punishment! A sex offender cannot go to a fast food restaurant which has a playground! Why? We have just as must of a right as you to get a burger! Plus they cannot go anywhere kids congregate, which is endless (i.e. Amusement parks, Movie theaters, the list is endless) .

* Sex offenders can go to church, but must leave immediately afterwards.

Ah yes, let's not leave the religion out of it.

This was a quick limerick of mine, posted as a comment for what was a story of a similar nature, and one of the things ZMan6919 alludes to.

My photo's on that website see,
All them paedo's 'n little old me.
I'm not a bad dude,
For doing things rude.
But sure am famous for taking a pee.

Hat tip TalkLeft for the original link.

What's In Your Favourites?

.
What's in your favourites?
.
(Excluding the midget porn.)

Top Ten Signs You're a Fundamentalist Christian
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The Coolest 8 Year Old In The World Talks About O'Reilly
.
Waffa Sultan tells it like it is.
Arab-American Psychologist Wafa Sultan .
.
Two creationist clowns. Slap value: well you couldn't could you?
A proper pair of sad bastards.
Banana's are Proof God Exists
.
Boston Legal - Alan Shore Greatest trial (Scientology).
.
Ted bearing false witness, aka lying you're ass off. Slap value: 0
Evangelical pastor compares sex scandal to Kerry "joke"
.
.Blasphemy. Jesus The Musical
.
Includes a bit of Tom Cruise. Slap value: 10+
The History of Scientology: Xenu's Plan Foiled
.
An excellent three minute argument.
Only Creationists are true Christians
.
George Carlin - Religion
In order to Control simple minded people
.
He gave the best unscripted speech I have ever heard when he
tore a strip off the Senate committee.
He's right in a lot he say's, but that doesn't stop me thinking the man
is an absolute wanker. As we see here. Slap value:6
George Galloway and Saddam.
.
Will you stop using science to prove your point, you know it's not fair.
Why Young Earth Creationists are WRONG
.
I absolutely loathe and detest this product of a Saturday night wank
scraped out of the toilet bowl and flung into the gaping vagina of whatever creature that ultimately went on to whelp the little shit.
Slap value: Off the fucking scale and heading for the next galaxy.
Lieberman on Terri Schiavo
.
Ann Coulter the evolutionary biologist. Slap value:10+
Ann Coulter 700 Club Interview
.
There are two more in my favourites on the subject of the far right
evangelical movement. They are worthy of a slot of their own, I shall try to post them tomorrow when I am not so tired.
.
Now I'm not generally a fan of rally driving, I would venture as far to say that there be only one thing crazier than a rally driver and that would be rally spectators who calmly position themselves on an outside bend to blithely watch speeding cars that are drive to the very limit of both man and machine.
You may wish to watch this twice, have a look over the edge at the three minute and the three minute fifty mark. And I almost forgot, ramp up the volume, give it rocks.
My hat off to the driver.Pikes Peak Peugeot ( Impresionante )
.
Juan Pablo wins the Michigan 500 in his rookie year. Awesome three minutes.
He's in the red car.
Juan Pablo Montoya win at Michigan 500
.
Montoya Brasil 2001
.
What's that you say Monty?Montoya gives Raikkonen sh!t
.
II you pass a car in Formula One you're .... Montoya Formula 1 Tribute
.
Looking a bit racy JP...Juan-Pablo Montoya Tribute
.
"You've either got to be blind or stupid" He's neither JP, but I know what you're saying.
Montoya Schumacher Imola 2004 press conf.
.
It's Red Neck Racing for me this year, I have to follow JPM now he has
left Formula One, but if the quality of drivers and racing is anything like this; how bad? Four abreast at these kind of speeds, the old cap has to get doffed again. Dale Sr's Last Win
.
You know how to make a debut JP I'll give you that.
NASCAR Nextel Cup, Montoya's fiery crash at Homestead
.
Ouch! 2006 Food City 250 Arca 1st Crash

Well It Would Wouldn't It

Crocodile disrupts swimming class.

Video.

Doomsday Scenario?

I wouldn't have a clue.

What say you techies to a super virus?

It'll End In Tears I Tells Thi, You Mark My Words

Operation Ribble, that's the police codename
for the ten month investigation named
after the river in North West England.

There is no obvious link between cash for
honours and the River Ribble, beyond it's
murky depths, scores of sources, endless
twists and turns and it's potential to net big fish.

Such was the introduction from BBC's Newsnight * in the ongoing saga of the "Cash For Honours"
investigation that continues to plague Tony Blair.

Recently revealed details of a second police interview gives Blair the dubious honour of being the
only sitting Prime Minister to be interviewed by the police.



Local residents of the Ribble Valley (right) took to the streets
to protest against this unwarranted and slanderous association

of their fair river** with the woes of the PM.

A spokesman for the group was quoted as saying,
"Bye 'eck, it's shocking, shocking I tells thi, weren't it bad enough that police in them days took away our great great grannies and 'ung 'em and burnt em at'stake, and now this. Well it won't do, it just won't do.

Developing.

*Limited timescale for viewing.

** Nice photo gallery of various parts of England
For my American readers.


Update 0930 GMT.

But he added: "I am not going to beg for my character in front of anyone. People can make up their own mind about me."

Steady on now lad, Pride cometh before before the old proverbial.

Beheading Plot Foiled?

Thursday update.

Blair Interviewed Again By Police

Uh Oh, Just in by email 11.44am 1st Feb 07

Tony Blair has been questioned for a second time by police investigating cash-for-honours allegations.
Downing Street disclosed the interview, which lasted 45 minutes, took place in No 10 last Friday and was kept secret at the request of the Met Police.

Beheading Plot Foiled?

Unconfirmed reports suggest the move to arrest nine men in Birmingham today were triggered by an "imminent threat to life."
Members of the West Midlands anti-terrorist squad working with other branches of national intelligence units (MI5) would neither confirm or deny the threat.

It was suggested that the plot was to kidnap a returning Muslim member of the British armed forces, behead him and post the video on the Internet.

There are at present some sixteen hundred anti-terrorist personnel working on counter terrorist measures out side of London alone.

Counter terrorist forces are said to have been working on this case for the past six months, showing particular interest in an Islamic book shop in the area.

In February 1984, less than a mile from the area where the arrests were made, the then Indian deputy high commissioner Ravindra Mhatre was kidnapped by the radical Kurdish group JKLF
Jammu Kashmir liberation front.
He was held captive at an isolated farmhouse for two days, where after being tortured his body was discovered.
Developing.