Whodunnit?

Tony Blair has been seen sporting the remains of a black eye from a 'Gym related incident'.

What I want to know is; who did it and where are they? I'd just like to shake them by the hand and buy them a very large drink.

Huh?

There really are some people who should think a little more closely about what they write. For example this unhappy soul, who seems to hate it here, and even accuses Canada of being a 'Genocidal state'.

The sound you have just heard is my jaw hitting my keyboard. In the words of John McEnroe, "You have gotta be kidding." I've driven this country coast to coast. Tofino on Vancouver Island BC, over the Rockies through the seemingly limitless flatlands of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba; through Ontario and Quebec out round the Gaspé into New Brunswick then Nova Scotia and the Cape Breton trail. Yet did I find even a hint of genocide? No. Massacres? No. Arguments aplenty, and even the odd rebellion, but apart from the Mohawks kicking up every now and again, it's just like any long running legal battle over specific ownership.

Over here the First Nations have a special status; their own lands (In BC some of the tribes are huge in Property), their own tribal laws, their own Police. The major difficulties appear to arise because (and this is a personal observation), the First Nations are primarily Oral tribal-centred culture(s) and the newcomers (All those pesky European migrants since the 1700's) are primarily from an industrialised culture. All First Nations history appears bound up in their own rituals and legends, and their law of a tribal nature (Each Elder must be consulted for a decision to be valid); whereas the newcomers deal via specialised structures like Government and the Courts. The conflicts that have to be resolved day on day are legion, yet resolved they generally are (Despite much complaining from both sides).

For anyone to claim that Canada is a 'genocidal state' they need to get out a bit more and find out what really makes this place tick.

Those who can....

Popped over to the dear old Torygraph for my daily dose of "Thank God I don't live there any more."

I see that some moron politician by the name of Ed Balls has proposed a 'Licence for teachers', renewable every five to ten years. The bad news for this eye catching initiative is Teachers already have to have a 'licence'. They cannot even get hired without a certificate from the General Teaching Council. Not only that, but they and their schools often get inspected and assessed every three years. I mean, come on.

Maybe we should have, as certain commentators have already suggested, a 'Licence for Politicians'. Basic qualifications; ten years private sector work experience with degree or equivalent in a 'hard' subject like Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry or similar with the stipulation that having a degree in the Political or Social 'Sciences' (Including an MBA) automatically disqualifies any candidate. That should keep some of the riff raff out of politics. Might spare the rest of us from their continual self justification and unskilled tinkering.

Politicians have mooted in the past that bloggers should be licensed, but as bloggers (Apart from those individuals belonging to political spin machines) take no money from the public purse, there is no pressing need. Apart from sparing those in power the serial embarrassment of being caught with their fingers in the proverbial till yet again.

Just a thought.

Happy Canada day

Another beautiful but breezy BC morning, and today is Canada day. A national holiday throughout the country. Canadians everywhere are going out to special events, having fun, fishing, cycling, sunbathing, barbequeing or just plain chilling. Some poor beggars are working, but then the whole country can't grind to a complete halt.

Sadly, we are not going to be joining them this time round as we are under the gun re immigration forms. The paperwork is immense. Everything we've ever done has to be on display for immigration to decide whether or not we are worthy of residence. Close relatives have to supply same, and the logistics concerned are quite startling. Every single passport page, education certificate, a years worth of bank statements, and copies of letters and declarations explaining why a box on our immigration forms haven't been ticked. Then this has to be couriered to our immigration lawyers, who will forward it on to the London Visa office at Canada house to sit in someone's in-tray until after Christmas.

Mrs S is in full growl mode and the dog is hiding under the spare bed.

Oh well, at least I have a new chair to blog from. All of fifteen dollars. Could be worse, I suppose, but I'd rather it got easier.

Update: Mrs S has warned me; "Bill, next time we have to do this, it's your turn." Be afraid young William, be very afraid.

Told you so

Looks like the grandiose UK ID card scheme which would be used to 'fight terrorism' has crunched into the rocks of reality. Then again, I've been one of the myriad voices pointing out the inconvenient fact that all the most notorious terror bombings Like 9/11, Madrid, 7/7 etc, have all been performed by terrorists with valid, government issued ID cards. That and the other inconvenient fact that such a project would provide the mother lode of all sources for potential ID thieves, terrorists included.

As an immigrant myself, I appreciate the need for controls on people entering and leaving a country, especially in these economically straitened times. There should be an unstated requirement that no country should import poverty in a time of overburdened public purse strings, regardless of 'human rights'. If you can support yourself, all well and good, but if not, sorry; Full. This is never more true than now, what with the world economy still contracting. It should be a given that non natives indulging in terrorist activity against a host country and / or it's citizens should get the perpetrator instant deportation after a lengthy prison sentence, and the permanent stripping of any residency, work or citizenship rights. If not, why not? Human rights pleas are all very well, but those who harm others should not be afforded such privileges. Human rights legislation should be there for the weak and powerless, not as a catch all 'get out of jail free' excuse for every nasty scrote out there.

There is a saying by George Santayana that "those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it". Yet those who hold the reins of power seem to often disregard this axiom. Even Karl Marx acknowledged that "History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce." The repeated failure of Socialist doctrine being a case in point, so he was right about one thing at least. However, to fight terrorism effectively, which is what the cards were supposed to do but couldn't, you have to strike at the root cause. There are acknowledged strategies to successfully fight asymmetric wars ('Terrorist' tactics like Hit and run guerilla tactics, suicide bombings) in which ID cards do not figure strongly. Said tactics derive from the writings of Sun Tzu and latterly John Boyd, who had some interesting things to say about it. Personally, I'm quite relaxed about terrorists about to commit mayhem being 'offed' before they have a chance to do so (A.K.A 'Doing a Gibraltar'). Or if you want the Monty Python version Llap-Goch.

Now the parlous state of the UK economy has dictated that a lot of these grand projects will have to be dumped because the government has run out of taxpayers money. Ahem. Told you so... (snigger).

Update: They're going to ditch the cards, but the odious database is to be kept as an ongoing project. When the next tranche of money runs out, that will have to go, too.

Resource

Took a drive on Sunday up to Sayward. Paused at the Ripple Rock viewpoint overlooking the scenic grandeur of the Seymour Narrows. Vouchsafed to an amused Mrs S; "This place is so beautiful it makes me feel quite giddy." Which was true, in amongst all the sun splashed Spruce, Pine, Black and Silver Birch the air was heady, and I had an uncharacteristically light headed moment, leaning heavily on our old grey battlebus for momentary support.

Got back home to enjoy a shared bottle of Pinot Noir after a very pleasant days travel to find a nasty bombshell lurking in Mrs S's inbox. A job which she had been promised, one which would have made us quite nicely off financially had been kicked into touch because the money for her project had been frittered away by her would-be employer. No budget left, no job (Even though the work my beloved was asked to do still has to be done). Fortunately we are still relatively secure, as we both have work and permits for the same, it was just that this little extra would have been some very pleasant icing on the cake. It's rather like being about to take a bite out of a Tim Hortons Blueberry Fritter (A personal favourite of mine), only to have the counter staff snatch it away from you, slap you in the face, and chuck it in the bin. The sensation of WTF?!? in our household has been palpable.

Well, we're upset of course, but taking a little solace from one of Robert Service's offerings;

If you're up against a bruiser and you're getting knocked about --

Grin.

If you're feeling pretty groggy, and you're licked beyond a doubt --

Grin.

Don't let him see you're funking, let him know with every clout,
Though your face is battered to a pulp, your blooming heart is stout;
Just stand upon your pins until the beggar knocks you out --

And grin.

This life's a bally battle, and the same advice holds true

Of grin.

If you're up against it badly, then it's only one on you,

So grin.

If the future's black as thunder, don't let people see you're blue;
Just cultivate a cast-iron smile of joy the whole day through;
If they call you "Little Sunshine", wish that THEY'D no troubles, too --

You may -- grin.

Rise up in the morning with the will that, smooth or rough,

You'll grin.

Sink to sleep at midnight, and although you're feeling tough,

Yet grin.

There's nothing gained by whining, and you're not that kind of stuff;
You're a fighter from away back, and you WON'T take a rebuff;
Your trouble is that you don't know when you have had enough --

Don't give in.

If Fate should down you, just get up and take another cuff;
You may bank on it that there is no philosophy like bluff,

And grin.

Stuff 'em. It's a gorgeous day. My dog is happily devouring beef ribs, and I'm back working hard on two Manuscripts (With one submitted). As far as the day job goes, this is slack season until September and maybe I should bunk off through the woods to my favourite fishing spot when the tide is right. Grinning.

They're 'aving a larf

Yesterdays news carried the little oddment that staff on the London Underground are to be given book s of quotations from Goethe, Ghandi, Satre and Shakespeare (Amongst others) to make their announcements more 'interesting'. Well, well, unintelligible and 'interesting'; should make tube travel a bit more than a crowded journey praying for the blessings underarm deodorant.

Why don't London Underground go the whole hog and theme journeys to said quotations? A little drama to add to the usual drama if you will. Imagine the following scenario, a tube carriage packed with commuters. Two friends meet, one is looking very unhappy.
Passenger one; "Hello, what's happening? You don't look so good."
Passenger two; "What's today's play?"
Passenger one; "As you like it."
Passenger two; "Thank goodness for that. A Shakespeare comedy. So only the usual delays then."
Passenger one; "You look terrible"
Passenger two; "Take my advice and avoid the Northern line this week, they're doing Faust. It's hell down there."

Oh gawd...

Well, they went and did it anyway, in a fit of massive cognitive dissonance not seen since the hysteria of the Salem Witch trials, the cap and trade climate change bill has passed the first hurdle towards becoming a de facto law.

What is it with these politico's? Don't they examine the evidence, or are they blind to anything outside the lobby system? Don't they hear the angry voices who see the economic ruin this will bring, not just to the USA but to Canada and the rest of the western nations?

When the cold winters really bite and there's not enough power from 'renewable' sources to power what is left of American Industry and commerce, perhaps those who were so enthusiastic about this bill will have opportunity to reflect upon their folly. Then again, perhaps not. It was taxation like this that was the impetus behind the American Revolution of 1776, and I know many of our southern neighbours won't take such measures lying down if the US Sensate fails to kill this bill. Via Michelle Malkin, I am given to understand that the bill only passed by one vote, and a certain Senator from Tulsa has stated that this potentially ruinous piece of legislation will not pass the Senate. I hope so, or the economic (and social) fallout may beggar us all.

Climate change – a modest proposal (Yes I know Michael Jackson is dead)

One sees that despite campaigning and evidence to the contrary, the Environmental bandwagon is going to insist on throwing money at a (In my view), non existent problem. The EPA suppresses reports that do not agree with the man made climate change political agenda. China and other ‘developing’ nations are demanding over 100 Billion of each ‘rich’ nations taxpayer dollar for ‘climate mitigation’, and the Prime Monster of the UK (Not a typo) has put the 100 billion price tag on said funds.

This puzzles me, as in the words of a famous stuffed toy, I
'am a bear of very little brain and long words bother me". How does money change, or mitigate the weather? Why is not the investment in ‘Green’ energy and cleaning up the West’s environmental act sufficient? As for China being a recipient instead of a donor country, well ain’t that a riot? If this wasn’t a very serious matter I’d be guffawing my head off. Politicians are throwing your and my money at something which very probably doesn’t exist.

There are many voices claiming otherwise, but as the up to date evidence does not properly support their assertions, I am forced to the other side of the climate fence. I say “What evidence is there that the globe is warming?” Try the following (factual) evidence that it is not;

Sea levels not rising
Coral reef bleaching due to local pollution events, not warming
Global temperature not really rising
Polar Bear population increased year on year since 1950
Arctic not ice free (Currently behind average melt pattern June 2009)
Fewer ‘extreme weather events’
Gulf stream not ‘stopping’
No proven link between CO2 levels and climate

There is currently even a minor trend towards cooler weather in the next few years, which far greater minds than mine ascribe to various factors like reduced solar output, increased planetary albedo, weakened solar magnetosphere, planetary tilt variation, variations in Earth’s orbital path and so on. In light of the aforementioned, to blame all warming and cooling (Whatever) on a trace atmospheric gas (0.03%) that only absorbs and reflects energy in two specific parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, seems a little eccentric to say the least. You might as well blame the tooth fairy.

However, should you believe otherwise, as is your right, I have a modest proposal; Let those that ‘believe’ that we’re all doooomed because of CO2 emissions purchase as many ‘carbon credits’ or ‘carbon offsets’ as they like as an option when travelling. Said credits would be solely for large scale tree planting, setting up and maintaining wilderness parks all over the world, and funding proper research into clean energy like nuclear Fusion (Windmills and solar are a waste of time). Said credits could then be ‘traded’ on a market for those (If any) who wish to purchase them. All ‘climate mitigation’ money should be derived from funds so generated. Payouts from such a fund should only happen when there was clear and incontrovertible evidence that such a payment would certainly ‘mitigate’ (reduce) the climate event responsible. Say for planting managed forests on the upper reaches of large rivers prone to flooding.

However, those who do not 'believe' in man made climate change should not be compelled to buy ‘carbon credits’ when travelling. The summation of this minor thesis is; let the ‘true believers’ dig into their own no doubt capacious pockets. Put their money where their collective mouths are. Let them pay the modern version of indulgences.

P.S Yes I know Michael Jackson is dead, but you can’t force me to care about it. The boy who couldn’t grow up is no more, but I won’t sully this blog with his eccentricities. Close the door and have done with the poor wretch. Speak his name no more except in fond remembrance of the good stuff he once did. De mortuis nil nisi bonum.

A blast..

"Calling all honest men..." Hi ho, the irony of when this was recorded (I think 1997) and the situation in the UK now. Well doesn't it just clang?

Correction: Released in 1991. However, don't the lyrics have synergy?

We're just a stone's throw
From Burning Hellfire
Does anybody know,
Where did all the heroes go?
We've had our fill of
This gallery of scoundrels,
The leaders of the world,
Those power hungry liars

Plus çà chose, plus ça même chose.....

All growed up...

There are times when all the effort you put into something comes back at you with a smile. When your chest swells just a little with justifiable pride in something truly worthwhile. This morning brought such a moment.

We were Skyping with youngest stepdaughter and it gives me great pleasure to see what a terrific person she is becoming. Sharp, smart, popular, and damn it all she's pretty. It fair puts a lump in me cynical old throat, guv'nor.

At the time we were making plans for what she wants to do when she comes to visit in August and it slowly dawned upon me that the child I have railed about, got mad at, and often bit hard back on showing my anger at times, is now a young woman in her own right. The one I sat with, helping with her English and History homework (I understand she got Grade A+ 'A' levels in those two subjects), talking about syntax and paragraph structure on my off duty evenings. She's an experienced traveller who thinks nothing of arranging her own flights across the world and dealing almost casually with the two imposters of triumph and disaster when they pay unwelcome visits to her life. She's getting good grades and is looking at either working in the corporate world, or joining the Police as a graduate. For myself, I would advise her to take the former course; the money's better. However, the choice is hers, and I think she'll make the right one, whatever it is.

I know I'm not her biological father, but I love her as though she was one of mine, and I'm quite pleased with myself for my minor role in her upbringing. From the times when she wouldn't show an inch of unnecessary skin, always hiding her light under the bushel of jeans and hooded sweatshirts, to the leggy, confident young woman I talked to today. I am sooo looking forward to squiring her around town this August. The local boys won't know what's going to hit 'em. I can already hear the hollow clacks of jaws hitting the floor.

Midsummer madness

Every year I see the various new age groups 'celebrating' solstice. In amongst them, there are a number of people calling themselves 'Druids'.

I would like to draw my one readers attention to the following; they aren't real Druids. None of them. They're all fakes. Every last single one. Either unemployed, or frustrated Junior Accountants, or low level Council Workers to a man. Especially those under the age of twenty eight. There is no such thing, or ever was if you adhere to the strict letter of the Lore on these things, as a Druid under that age. Three simple reasons;

First: A would-be Druid must first be a Bard, an acknowledged singer of songs who must be able to rhyme and scan - no blank verse, that's cheating. No girls either. Which is bad news for the feminists because there are no recorded instances of genuine female Bards in Druidic culture. This training traditionally began with boys at the age of fourteen and took seven years entailing a number of sacred rituals like being left to survive the night lying in a swamp (Don't ask why - they just did). At the end of this seven years the would be Bard must prove their ability by singing in front of a council of his peers, all of whom must be either acclaimed Bards or proper Druids, and satisfy them of his ability and suitability for future training.

Secondly: The would-be Druid then has to undergo seven more years of training to learn the folk medicine and sacred rituals, some of which he must undergo himself as a kind of examination. Think of them as kind of high risk mid term exams. There was only one penalty for failure and that is death, usually during the ritual in question but sometimes after as a human sacrifice. Oh, and no sex, although I suspect quite a lot of that generally went on, humanity being what it is.

Soooo.... Fourteen plus seven plus seven equals...... twenty eight.

Ah, and there aren't any real Druids left because the Romans slaughtered them all back in the first and second centuries AD. Mainly because they were a pest and source of resistance against the Roman occupation of Britain. Romano British chronicles of the time tell us that a Roman army cornered and hacked a large contingent into dogmeat back in AD 60. See the contemporary writings of Tacitus, Pliny and Agricola amongst other sources. After that, the last of the Druids were hunted to extinction over the next two decades. Ergo, no more Druids, and no more documented or otherwise sources until a Victorian 'revival' when idle people with nothing better to do dressed up as Saxons, Danes or Celts and made up huge swaths of 'ceremonies' as 'historical recreations'.

Oh, and if these guys are real Druids, how come they get the date wrong; Solstice is the 22nd to 23rd of June, not the 21st or 22nd.

Why would you want to be an adherent to an extinct sect anyway? Is it something to do with exclusivity, like it's my sect and I'll sacrifice if I want to? Poor identification within your family and the search for identity within a peer group? Hated parents, and wants a peer group surrogate but isn't tough enough to join a gang? Maybe they just hate the tyranny of wearing trousers? There are clubs for people like that. Who knows, who cares. I just hate it when people get things wrong and make stuff up to fill in the cracks.

Steve Hughes

Enjoy......

H/T The Last Ditch

Hummingbirds at my window

Every evening at between eight and nine, Mrs S and I are graced by the visit of one of these little guys. We sit inside, the windows closed by eight to keep out the first of the summers mosquitoes, and this particular bird darts back and forth less than seven feet from where we sit. At the risk of sounding a bit sad, it's one of my evening's highlights. A free aerobatic display. I would post a picture, but my camera is currently on the blink. However, in the words of one of Bob Monkhouse's less memorable gags; Norman Jervis will be exhumed as soon as possible.

Away from the delights of our current abode, we see mildly alarming news that the Sabre rattling Dictatorship of North Korea is threatening a missile launch in the direction of the USA. Certain pundits are predicting that said regime will be capable of launching a missile with sufficient range to strike at the continental USA within the next three years. However, seeing as North Korea's cash earning exports seem to be Missile technology, Insurance Fraud and Counterfeiting, I won't be holding my breath. The global financial community has cottoned on to the frauds, so it's very likely that any funds from the latter two activities will dry up like the proverbial spit on a hot stove in a very short space of time. Which will only leave the drug trade to pay for that very expensive North Korean nuclear programme.

I'm vaguely concerned about the North Korean sabre rattling mainly because our new home on Vancouver Island will be in range of the nutter of Pyongyang's latest toys if the three year prediction holds true. Mind you, if the drug trade suffers losses like the old time bootleggers did in the early 1930's, that source of income will be a bust as well, and ultimately said dictatorship will implode as the top dogs snuffle around for the scraps. Which is what generally happens with dictatorships when the money eventually runs out, as it always does. Another communist dictatorship quietly slides down the pan of history, which may not be good news for the poverty stricken North Korean public, but long term good for the rest of the world. China probably won't either want or be able to help them out, as the Chinese have discovered the joys of modern consumerism, and in all probability won't want to lose face by backing a losing one trick pony regime. I hope so for everyone's sake.

With the North Korean threat quietly consigned to the history books that means the threat of a first strike on US (and possibly Canadian) soil will disappear for the moment, and the world will breathe a little easier, and I will still be able to watch the Hummingbirds outside my window on Summer evenings. Good.