Blog Feed: A Very British Dude

What do the Eurosceptics actually want?

Published on 2013-05-16 03:02:00

The problem with the debate on the EU is that one side doesn't care, and the other has worked itself into an irrational frenzy. It's now poisoning the Tory party again, whose inability to address this issue rationally (though the press presenting any

Where's the Outrage?

Published on 2013-05-14 04:26:00

It's a

Cameron and 'The Right'. What more do they want?

Published on 2013-05-13 05:39:00

By 'The Right' I am referring to that spectrum of opinion which rebels over Gay Marriage and the EU and forms the Right of the Tory party and the Ex-Tory UKIP voters.The Tory party is rather united over Europe: There are those who're suspicious of th

The Opposition Comfort Zone

Published on 2013-05-08 11:11:00

In 1997, any Labour activist under 40 would not have had the experience of voting for a Labour government. The attitudes of opposition were deep-set and the party in the country was deeply unready for Government, however prepared Blair and Brown and

Why I unsubscribed from Labour's spam e-mails.

Published on 2013-05-07 05:23:00

I've been getting spam from Labour. I clicked on the 'Unsubscribe' button. They asked me why I wanted to no longer hear Labour's daily take on political events. Here's what I told 'em:Because I think Labour are a bunch utter lackwits whom I wouldn't

"I Just Want to Feel Like Someone's On My Side"

Published on 2013-05-03 09:24:00

I asked some collegues, mainly conservative (small 'c') what they wanted. These are wealthy people who've been hit hard by the tax-rises of the

"Race to the Bottom"

Published on 2013-05-01 06:44:00

The Coalition has sought to Abolish the Agricultural Wages Board. Labour oppose this, because they think the Countryside is still some Dickensian hell of near-slave labour, and that only State intervention prevents a "race-to-the-bottom" in wages. Th

The Useless Police.

Published on 2013-04-25 07:57:00

This incident is an ongoing issue with the Police.The sheer uselessness of the police never

Twitter's first Flash-Crash

Published on 2013-04-24 04:49:00

Yesterday, some jolly trickster hacked into the Associated Press's twitter account (@AP) and tweeted"Breaking: Two explosions in the White House and Barak Obama is injured"Predictably the market collapsed 0.8%, before rallying on the news that it's a

The Hows and Whys of the End of the Commodity Super-Cycle

Published on 2013-04-18 04:21:00

Some of you may have heard me witter on about oil on Radio 3counties, 4 or most recently 5-live. On Tuesday morning, I managed imperfectly to explain how prices prevent shortages. Oil is actually a pretty good example.I remember Oil at $14 a barrel b

"The Crisis" was caused by Preventing Recessions.

Published on 2013-04-12 07:55:00

What's to blame for "the crisis"?

A Better Basis for Taxation

Published on 2013-04-10 03:04:00

I don't like tax, but if we absolutely have to raise some taxes, it's better if it's raised in ways that have other benefits.Fuel taxes reduce pollution and congestion. Tobacco taxation reduces smoking and so forth. Land value taxes increase the asso

Thatcher's Legacy

Published on 2013-04-09 04:26:00

I am a stockbroker. Many of my clients are plumbers and builders. Many "working class" (and proudly so) people earn far more than the "professionals" who serve them. Those who lack the wit to buy their own tools, van and hire a mate, and instead spen

On the Budget Housing Stimulus

Published on 2013-03-22 06:40:00

The Government is planning to loan people significant money in order to find the deposit on a new-build house. Now. I think the major problem with the UK economy in the long-term is Britons' habit of seeing a house as an investment, assuming "bricks

Leveson & Niemöller

Published on 2013-03-19 05:29:00

First they came for the Tabloids, and I said nothing because I read the Guardian on my iPad. Then they came for the Guardian, and I said nothing because I'd assumed it was going bust anyway. Then they came for the blogs, and I said nothing because bl

An Example of What's Wrong with the Welfare State.

Published on 2013-03-17 13:52:00

In around 2004, or 2005, I found myself between jobs. This is what the welfare state is for. I applied for Job Seekers' Allowance and Housing Benefit, which I claimed for around 3 or 4 months until I found another job.If you believe the left, I'd be

Labour Plans for Capital Gains Tax

Published on 2013-03-05 04:38:00

One idiot, Ed Balls, has asked another idiot, Sir George Cox, for ideas to tackle "short-term" thinking in British business. Or maybe I'm being harsh to Sir George. Perhaps he's just

The Tories and Leadership.

Published on 2013-02-28 03:12:00

I think David Cameron's a good egg. I trust him and, by and large, I think he's got my back in the great councils of the world. Furthermore, I think the Coalition are making the big calls right, though I wish they were a bit more aggressive on defici

Speeding and the Abuse of Statistics

Published on 2013-02-13 04:31:00

Yesterday, I attended a speed awareness course. I was caught at 35 in a 30 zone (in my defence I was

The Third Sector.

Published on 2013-01-30 01:31:00

If you want evidence that the 'third sector', 'social enterprises' or whatever 'charities' are called this week are merely an arm of the state, check out their job advertisments like this one from Home Group LtdYou will deliver outrageously brilliant

High Speed 2

Published on 2013-01-28 04:39:00

There are plenty of reasons why High Speed 1 made sense: The Channel Tunnel should be linked to London by an equivalent high-speed line if the rail is to compete with City-Paris-Orly air route. I of course remain devastated that the trains from Paris

Growth is NOT going to end.

Published on 2013-01-22 07:58:00

In "Perfect Storm" the head of Research at Tullett Prebon, Dr Tim Morgan predicts the end of Western Growth arguing that the last 250 years were an anomaly of the industrial revolution, which is now over.To

The Economics of Online Dating, Poker & Bingo.

Published on 2013-01-22 04:38:00

One of the things that interests me about economics is how people make money out of new technology. The printing press was used at first for political

David Cameron and the Euro Head-Bangers.

Published on 2013-01-15 05:22:00

The press are talking up the prospect of a Tory Euro-split. The likes of serial rebel Douglas Carswell are regularly talked about as if they are the same as the Maastricht rebels, and they will do for Cameron as John Redwood did for Major. Common Mar

On BMI, Smoking and Physical Fitness

Published on 2013-01-11 08:10:00

Quite often amongst libertarians there's a 'drinkin' smokin' and ahm-a-gonna-continue-coz-you-ain't-gonna-stop-me attitude'. Because the BMA advises something, some libertarians willfully do the opposite.I entirely understand the wish to blow the smo

Child Abuse and Operation Yew Tree

Published on 2013-01-09 08:31:00

I was asked by a friend to write about the Operation Yew Tree, which has seen people publicly branded as paedophiles, who will never see the inside of a court to clear their name. Jim Davidson may or may not have behaved inappropriately, in 1980, wit

Protest & Political 'Freedom', in Practice.

Published on 2013-01-08 06:36:00

Free societies are richer, but more unequal. Where people in the mainstream of debate in sensible countries differ is in the definition of "free" and the relative importance of "unequal" and "rich".The left tend to regard inequality itself as a mitig

Train Fares

Published on 2013-01-02 04:44:00

The news this morning was once again all about train-fare rises. The 10th year, apparently of above-inflation rises. So I'm reposting, for the benefit of the BBC, what I wrote when they were announced in August.I'll declare an interest: I use the rai

2013 is Going to be the Best Year in Human History.

Published on 2012-12-31 17:20:00

It is tempting, writing on New Year's eve when the West is mired in the fourth year of a persistent slow-down to be pessimistic about the future. But I am not a pessimistic about the future. The reasons are many, but here are a few.The scourge of war

Plebgate

Published on 2012-12-18 16:39:00

So... Chanel 4's report on plebgate is devastating. None of the allegations made against Chief Whip, Andrew Mitchell stood up. Not at the Gates of Downing Street, and not in any of the meetings he had subsequently with the police federation. It appea

In a War on Drugs, Why are Humans Going to Gaol?

Published on 2012-12-17 15:13:00

Read this excellent post. Ewan Hoyle is a Liberal Democrat from North of the Border, likely an endangered species. But at their best, the Liberal Democrats are prepared to say what they think, hoping in vain that being right somehow correlates with b

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Published on 2012-12-16 08:56:00

Those who loved Sir Peter Jackson's adaptation of JRR Tolkein's Lord of the Rings trilogy will love this movie. Those who didn't, won't. It's

Sleeping in The Car.

Published on 2012-12-14 04:31:00

The RAC with Fair Fuel Tax have released a report this morning about the effect of high fuel taxes in the UK. Basically, taxes hurt, because they take money which could be used for other things. People have to make choices over how to spend their tim

Scotland and the EU.

Published on 2012-12-13 12:22:00

Baroso is on record as saying "an independent Scotland would have to negotiate entry into the European Union". Finland's negotiations took three years. The SNP counter with "but of course they would let us in, why wouldn't they?" and that negotiation

The War on Drugs is Unwinnable

Published on 2012-12-13 07:26:00

Cocaine grows wild in South America, and has been cultivated for the stimulating properties of its (highly

Why I can't Vote for UKIP

Published on 2012-12-12 03:02:00

While I sort of agree with them about Europe, in common with most of the electorate, I just don't think it's that big a deal, and we're probably going to get what we want - a 2 speed Europe - anyway. I simply don't know to what practical problem "pul

Chancellors and Recessions

Published on 2012-12-06 04:28:00

The greatest lie in politics is that economic growth is in the Chancellor's gift.Because the economy is usually growing, it pays for chancellors to claim credit for it, but this is just Game Theory. As soon as it starts shrinking, the opposition star

Cyclists' Dark Clothing and No Lights.

Published on 2012-12-05 06:08:00

In my last post, I thought I had dealt with all the boring Tropes about cycling. But no. Apparently not content with looking for red-lights to run and achieving the miraculous feat of being

"I was almost knocked down!" and Other Journalistic Tropes About Cycling

Published on 2012-12-03 04:23:00

There are a number of Journalistic tropes trotted out when cyclists are mentioned in the press. There's the idiotic "They should pay road tax", when, of course, road-tax was abolished in 1937, and cyclists are more likely to own a car than the genera

How BBC bias works

Published on 2012-11-28 12:51:00

Let's take the BBC's coverage of the minimum pricing legislation debate. The headline went something like this: "Doctors [respected] have welcomed the governments proposal to introduce minimum pricing, but industry bodies [Boo! Profiteers] have react

Minimum Unit Pricing for Alcohol

Published on 2012-11-28 02:59:00

Cameron seems to think a minimum unit price for alcohol is a good idea. It isn't of course, it's the worst type of New Labour nanny-state idiocy. You know that, I know that. What's important is who the enemies of liberty are, and how they use their p

On UKIP & A Plan For Cameron.

Published on 2012-11-24 14:11:00

UKIP is a Mainstream political party, whom David Cameron once described as "Fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists".And he's right. While the UKIP supporting Twittersphere are impeccably libertarian to Anarcho-capitalist, much of the rest of the part

On Rotherham Council's Decision to Remove Children from UKIP Foster Parents

Published on 2012-11-24 05:26:00

A couple, who by all reports were exemplary foster parents, had three children removed from their care because the council discovered after an anonymous tip-off that they were members of UKIP.There is so much 'sinister' in that sentence, I don't know

Starbucks, Tax and Idiocy.

Published on 2012-11-21 04:32:00

On my local high-street, which leads up to a market square there is an independent coffee shop, Cafe Rouge, Thorntons, Greggs, Costa Coffee, and on the Market square there is an independent next door to Starbucks and another selling coffee from a tra

Some thoughts on Mountain Bikes

Published on 2012-11-20 04:06:00

I am currently riding My brother's Hard-tail, carbon fibre mountain bike to work, because driving to work was doing my head in. This is about as good as a trail-riding bike gets, and his pride and joy. However, it's my belief that mountain bikes are

Barclays' Investment "Management"

Published on 2012-11-16 06:32:00

Barclays have just produced their post RDR fee card for "managing" (if that's what banks do) peoples' investments.For clients using its advisory investment service, the bank will now charge an annual fee of 0.75% for advice and custody on the first

Nadine in the Jungle.

Published on 2012-11-12 12:48:00

Nadine Dorries, Tory scourge of the Posh-Boys has become the second MP to take up the challenge of reality TV by going into the Jungle with 'I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here'. Her constituents are said to be not happy. Twitter is disparaging. The

Did Ramesh Patel Get Paid For This?

Published on 2012-10-26 03:22:00

If you're active politically, you'll probably get sent this article today, from The Huffington Post. Ramesh Patel describes himself as Economist, worked in media and the financial sectorWhich means he studied economics at university and has worked in the financial sector. It doesn't mean he's got any understanding of macro-economics. His more detailed bio is as follows. Ramesh Patel worked in finance from investments adviser with JMC Finacial Assets, to comodities brokers in metal and currencies [..]

Criminal Swimming.

Published on 2012-10-20 15:28:00

This afternoon, I took my daughter, 3, to Danes Camp leisure centre in Northampton for a swim. She may be a toddler, but she's happy in the water, and can comfortably swim a length of a 25m pool. Her two great delights are sitting on my back "faster daddy, faster" and jumping into the water. Both of these are easier if the water is more than 2ft deep.However I hadn't figured the health and safety implications. I was told by the life-guard that my daughter was not a "swimmer" and wasn't allowed i [..]

Young Nationalists

Published on 2012-10-11 02:39:00

Wee Eck, in his personal life is a rather admirable man. He retired from front-line politics to look after his sick wife. He's reported to be amusing company, and has many friends amongst political opponents. He's a fearsome debater and a shrewd politician. However he is also an absolutely shameless operator.

On Freedom...

Published on 2012-09-18 07:21:00

... Which could be a musing on the excellent essays by Isiah Berlin, but isn't. It's much more prosaic than that.Twitter is asking me to sign a petition:

Compliance and the Myth of Goldilocks

Published on 2012-09-08 15:55:00

So far, in the last few years, there have been a number of co-incident enormous financial scandals, which reached from the macro, to the micro, top to bottom.

Save The Children & Child Poverty in the UK.

Published on 2012-09-07 01:58:00

Thanks to the Unique way the BBC is funded, Save the Children got a free advert courtesy of BBC R4's thought for the day this morning, as which Akhandadhi Das contrasted Save the Children's first ever campaign about poverty in the UK with the charitable status of independent schools, explicitly suggesting the "need of independent schools to fill their places" was less worthy than Save the Children stepping way outside its remit and embarking on a party-political crusade. Let's leave aside the le [..]

Ed Balls' "Wealth Tax"

Published on 2012-09-06 02:09:00

In an Independent "exclusive", Ed Balls has said he's going to impose a "proper wealth tax". Wealth taxes are window-lickingly stupid and anyone advocating them is an economically illiterate moron. here's why: Moral hazard. It penalises those who save for retirement, pay off a mortgage and seek to not be a burden on the state, against those who spent their surplus income on Beer and Cocaine.As Tim Worstall points out, a well-off retiree might face a wealth-tax greater than their annual income.Re [..]

Stella Creasy & The Loan Sharks

Published on 2012-08-22 06:37:00

Let's take a chap, me, who's overspent in a month (on mandatory, regulator-imposed exam-fees, as it happens but also on a holiday for the bird, a bike for me and a really rather extravagent piss-up in which I lost all sense of proportion, and mistakenly let my 'friends' loose on a tab). The Fee from the bank to go over an overdraft limit: £25 plus additional fees of £5 PER DAY over 9 days, this would be nearly £70. by comparison, the cost of a £200 loan from Wonga.com for 9 days £23.74.Stel [..]

Train Fares

Published on 2012-08-14 15:39:00

I'll declare an interest: I use the rail network, but not to commute.There has been an astonishing amount of bollocks being spoken about train-fare rises. Especially commuters, whose season tickets are rising by hundreds of pounds. "The trains are crowded" they complain. Yes, and cutting rail fares will help that, how exactly? "It's too expensive" Well move house, or change jobs. Or travel off-peak.This crowding is because more people try to use the network than is optimal at peak hours. The eff [..]

The Opening Ceremony

Published on 2012-07-28 09:59:00

So. Danny Boyle's Olympic opening ceremony.It was a Triumph. After the Chinese display of might, with all the artistic integrity of a Red-Square parade of missile launchers, we got a fun, irreverent pop-concert from the UK.After the Royal Wedding and the Jubilee, the world knows this moist North Atlantic archipelago can do pomp and circumstance. What this extravaganza showed the world is that a lot of the rock n roll which defines western civilisation is British, as is much of the technological [..]

Compliance and the Myth of Goldilocks

Published on 2012-07-24 15:55:00

So far, in the last few years, there have been a number of co-incident enormous financial scandals, which reached from the macro, to the micro, top to bottom.

The NHS is being Privatised? Ooh Goody!

Published on 2012-07-10 07:36:00

Comment in moderation (unlikely to be published) at this post: Ooh Goody. They’re privatising the NHS? Maybe I won’t die unnecessarily of Cancer, or wait four hours because no-one can be bothered to see me with a dislocated shoulder, until the target time runs out. Excellent. It will still be free at the point of delivery, so why, apart from vested producer interest and left-wing prejudice, would you oppose private, but state funded provision?

Professional?

Published on 2012-07-08 11:43:00

What does "professional" mean? The dictionary defines it broadly as "doing something for money" but in a more narrow sense, being skilled. Even narrower is being part of a "profession" such as Doctors and Lawyers where it takes many years to acquire knowledge of the arcana. A professional is more likely to be self-employed and so have little job-security. The returns can be

How Financial Regulation "Works".

Published on 2012-07-06 07:00:00

So, you're a stockbroker, and you've been in the game now for over a decade. You've got some fairly serious book-learning under your belt, and have experience

Government as a Tool.

Published on 2012-07-05 08:02:00

Government is not inherently evil. Indeed it is necessary - anarchy is not a happy state of affairs. This is the difference between Anarchism, and Libertarianism: Somalia is not a standing retort to the principles of the latter. Nor are things like progressive taxes, welfare states or redistribution

Pugeout 3008

Published on 2012-07-02 13:34:00

Regular readers will know I don't own a car, I hire one when I need one. Most of the time, I get a newish mid-range Ford or Vauxhall, and I think "this is an excellent piece of design and engineering which does the job of ferrying me about, efficiently and unobtrusively". Occasionally, I get upgraded. Sometimes it's a Bigger car, like the VW Passat, which was excellent. So good, I remember nothing about it except I'd have one over a Mercedes, so relaxing and comfortable was it to drive.My most r [..]

The Euro Referendum - Myths and Monsters.

Published on 2012-07-02 06:40:00

Dan Hannan

Why I don't Read The Papers...

Published on 2012-06-27 02:13:00

A burglar asked to be sent to gaol because his probation appointments were at 10am and they were interrupting his sleep.... Of course we're invited to hate the guy; Shameless Batchelor told the judge he failed to attend the meetings because they were too early in the morning - despite being at 10AM.The courtroom conversation is dutifully reported in full by the Daily Telegraph;"I'd rather go to jail and get it out the way, come out and get a fresh start, and not have to do probation and things l [..]

The Jimmy Carr Tax Trick.

Published on 2012-06-22 02:18:00

Self-employed? Sick of paying tax? Here's how Jimmy Carr got away with paying 1% on his income.Resign from employment in the UKEstablish a company based overseasGet hired by the offshore company, on a minimal salary, say £8,105 per year.Pay any earnings directly to the offshore companyReceive large interest free loans from your companyDeclare these interest free loans as tax liabilities to reduce Income Tax payable to HMRCIt stinks so bad, I might have to try it.

When the Law's an Ass, Try a Nudge.

Published on 2012-06-21 06:07:00

The motorway speed limit of 70mph is probably the most widely ignored law in the UK. Even when there's a police car, they do 68mph, you pass them at a stately 72 or so before putting your foot down again. Almost everyone drives on a clear motorway between 70-90mph. This is because cars have got safer and faster. Brakes and Tyres are better.However average speeds have been dropping recently (and this has led to a reduction in fatalities). The reason has nothing to do with policing, which has been [..]

Filthy Lucre

Published on 2012-06-20 09:03:00

Of course, following the bust in 2000, over a decade of poor returns means those excitable investors who got into shares following 'Big Bang' and the privatisations, got burned and left. While share ownership is a bit broader than it was pre-1986, it is being seen as increasingly the preserve of the rich or institutions which manage pension funds. Companies are increasingly eschewing a listing on public markets, preferring to tap other sources of capital. The Economist is in no doubt as to w [..]

The Brothers Unite Against Progress.

Published on 2012-06-19 02:51:00

Listening to the interchangable trot (I think it was the head dinosaur at the GMB union, Paul Kenny) the BBC dredged from the 1970's to appear on the 'Today' Program, I was struck by his repeated use of the words "private company". The background is that the Blairite think-tank, Progress, whose mission is to promote a radical and progressive politics for the 21st century... whatever that means, is structured as a company, not a charity, and it distributes money around the labour party, and someh [..]

A Layman's Guide to the Euro Crisis.

Published on 2012-06-13 03:56:00

There is a lot in the news about the crisis in Europe, and a lot of the coverage is filtered through political lenses as people project their beliefs onto what’s going on. Eurosceptics are enjoying saying “I told you so!”. Left-wing parties are blaming the banks and the political right is seizing an opportunity to ‘shrink the state’. It’s often difficult to separate fact from journalistic wishful-thinking. So what’s really going on?The EuroZone is a ‘currency union’ without a � [..]

An In/Out EU referendum... Not Now.

Published on 2012-06-08 07:41:00

According to the Tory/UKIP narrative, the only reason that David Cameron isn't offering an EU referendum is that he's a closet (or not so closet) europhile. As part of the new elite, he's bitten completely into the grand European project, hook, line and sinker. His aim is therefore to deny, like those European politicians, his people a say in the project. This makes him (and I'm quoting from various tweets from EU nutters) a Quisling, a traitor, only pretending to be a Tory, not a real conservat [..]

90% of Parents are worried about....

Published on 2012-06-06 03:58:00

There's a "report" doing the rounds of the media this morning from The Chartered Institute of Marketing. The press association report is here, and given the utter failure of anyone in the mainstream media to apply anything approaching critical thought, I thought I'd give it a go. Most parents remain concerned about the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood a year after an independent review of the pressures on children growing up, a study finds.Nine in 10 parents (90%) still think the [..]

Alan Milburn, Tit.

Published on 2012-05-30 14:17:00

Social Mobility, a 'Motherhood & Apple Pie' issue, but which boils down, in practice, to "what sort of school did you go to?" about which an astonishing amount of cant is spoken.The Labour narrative is that a self-selecting caste of Public Schoolboys deny entry to the upper echelons of public and business life. Snobbery and the old-school tie represent impenetrable barriers to the working class, however talented". While Labour accept upward social mobility happens, it is a near totemic belief in [..]

Today's "Fuck-Off!" moment

Published on 2012-05-30 02:08:00

Everyone who listens to BBC Radio 4's Today program will know what the "Fuck off!" moment is. It is that moment when a story ascends its own bowel in a display of utter political-class inanity. For me, it is generally the second profanity of the day (the first thing I check being Viz Magazine's App, the Daily Profanity whence the title of this blog post), occurring within the first few minutes of listening to the radio.Today I was running into work, listening to 'Today' when this story nearly ca [..]

Omnishambles?

Published on 2012-05-29 02:10:00

So, the Coalition Government u-turned on the pasty tax and caravan tax, "costing" the Government £65m a year, or put another way, saving £1 per person per year in taxes. That's 1p every 4 days, for each of us. This is Front page news.They clearly should have consulted on these measures, which while not of great import to many, in Cornwall, which has achieved protected status for the Cornish Pasty, or Hull where static caravans are made, these are big issues.However, having taken the opprobrium [..]

"A Price Worth Paying"

Published on 2012-05-25 02:05:00

In Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions, Ed Miliband led with the Beecroft report (anyone got a link to the final published report?) into employment law, focusing in on one phrase "some people may be dismissed simply because their employer doesn't like them, but that is a price worth paying...". Adrian Beecroft may be a successful entrepreneur and (as is spat through clenched teeth by Labour) venture capitalist, but he clearly has no comprehension of the resonance of that phrase within the Lab [..]

Facebook's IPO.

Published on 2012-05-22 03:05:00

I called the Facebook IPO 'the greatest short in history'. Very simply the stock is priced at insane multiples. I don't care how fast something's growing. Facebook tradung is trading on 19 times turnover and 68 times 2011 earnings (following it's fall below the offer price to $34), down from just under 100 times in the heady, underwritten, first few minutes of trading in Facebook shares.Laughing because he sold his stock at $38 AND kept control of the company.It may know the social networks of a [..]

The Obsessions of the Tory Right

Published on 2012-05-21 04:04:00

1) Gay Marriage. I understand the theological reasons for a christian to be against gay marriage: a few passages in the clearly confused & frustrated St Paul's epistles to Timothy. I am still not sure why anyone gives a shit about this. I like George Carlin's advice to people who disapprove of Gay Marriage: Don't marry a Gay. Don't give ammunition to Labour who will be credibly painting you as a homophobe.2) Grammar Schools. Yes, I understand the destruction of the Grammar schools meant clever w [..]

Greek Options

Published on 2012-05-18 02:29:00

Plan 'A': Stay in the Euro, drop wages & prices for local produce, until Greeks are as productive as Germans. This will take a decade or two of grinding, unrelenting economic misery, during which anyone with any talent, ambition or ability will leave the country and everyone else will be scarred by the experience. Each year brings more "austerity" more riots and more chance of extremist politicians gaining power. Germans effectively run the Greek economy. I cannot see how this will not end up wi [..]

Unemployment

Published on 2012-05-17 02:11:00

Unemployment isn't a collection of people who've lost their jobs. It's better to think of it as the pool between two fast flowing streams. People losing their jobs, or enetering the Labour market when they leave education, return to work after illness, or maternity and so on are flowing in; and people finding work, or reaching retirement age are in the stream flowing out of the pool.The evidence suggests that, contrary to traditonal left-wing rhetoric, the rate at which people enter the pool thr [..]

Labour's EU referendum

Published on 2012-05-16 02:53:00

Labour's policy Committee has suggested the party, which has already promised and voted against one, may back an 'in/out' referendum on the UK's EU membership.Of course, no-one believes that Ed Miliband, grotty little snot-bucket that he is will ever be in a position to deliver on his promise, so the promise is free. Assuming the public buy the policy at face-value, a big assumption, then it may be clever politics.It increases Pressure on David Cameron, whom the Euronutters in his own party thin [..]

What to do with your Euros...

Published on 2012-05-15 03:42:00

So. You're a moderately wealthy Greek person. Do you keep your money in a Greek bank, in Greece or do you make sure all your Euro notes are printed in Germany, where your bank account is and open an offshore £/$ account?The Euro, a poor idea, badly implemented.HT to the telegraph for the Image. That's right, you get your money as far away from Greece (and the risk of being told one day "you're now holding Drachma") as you can.Now imagine you're Spanish, Portuguese, Irish or Italian. You have a [..]

Build Cycle Lanes, the Motorist Benefits.

Published on 2012-05-14 06:51:00

Most conservatives/libertarians/UKIPpers are viscerally pro-car and anti-bike. To the likes of regular commenters Simon Jester or Patrick the use of the car is natural, and facilitating anything else is a dastardly plot to subvert his way of life. This is a perverse and willful misreading of my position. I will try to deal with the commonest arguments of the Gin & Jag set in this post.I shall refer to the first sentence of my last post. ...most journeys of longer than a few miles, and for movin [..]

The Great Car Economy.

Published on 2012-05-10 03:12:00

I often get accused of being anti-car. I am not. For most journeys of longer than a few miles, and for moving goods about the country, the motor vehicle is simply the best tool for the job. I just accept the car is often not best tool for the job, and universal car use has a number of negative effects. This leaves an enormous number of journeys for which the car shouldn't be the first choice. My problem is that people are forced into cars, as other options have been, effectively, denied through [..]

20% (Or why the Eurozone can't survive).

Published on 2012-04-24 05:58:00

In the UK, around 20% of the 'Greater South-East's' GDP goes North. Following the American Civil War, about 20% of the North's GDP flowed south. Much of American Growth from then until 1914 was merely the south catching up with the North's industrialisation. After unification, about 20% of West German GDP flowed east.The moral of the tale is that if a highly invested, competitive area (like Germany & Northern Europe) finds itself in a currency union with an uncompetitive area (Like the Club-Med) [..]

Why do cyclists "Hog the road"

Published on 2012-04-17 03:30:00

Have a look at this video (1-minute, safe for work)My reward for getting out of the way of the considerate driver of the Merc (the reason he took a while to pass as I moved accross was that he was giving plenty of room behind - thanks) was a near left-hook from the John Lewis lorry following him. The problem is, once you let one car through, everyone else thinks they can pile past, even when there is no room. This is why it's often safer to "hog the lane".Sorry.I'd rather annoy you than be kille [..]

Too Much Spending, or Not Enough Tax?

Published on 2012-04-11 12:57:00

The two views, broadly about what's wrong with the UK fiscal position are what I would characterise as the "right-wing" position: The Labour party spent too much in power, believing the tax from the Banks would continue indefinitely. When the wheel came off the economy, tax receipts dried up, and the deficit-financed spending looked insanely unaffordable. I've been saying this since 2005.The left, on the other hand, cannot see any fault in their beloved state. In their view, if only the wicked r [..]

Nissan QashQai

Published on 2012-04-10 14:27:00

One of the benefits of car-free living is that because I hire a car every couple of weeks for the small number of journeys which can't be achieved by rail or bicycle. I drive lots of new, mid-priced saloons. This means A Very British Dude is an excellent place to read a car review, by someone who hates driving, yet has plenty of experience of driving lots of different cars. What's the point of reading a review by a driving enthusiast, if you're not?I was disapointed when the guy at Luton Airport [..]

Samantha Brick & the Sisterhood.

Published on 2012-04-05 05:36:00

The Daily Mail showed why it's a successful paper, and the most visited newspaper site on the net. They got a moderately attractive but catastrophically un-self-aware 41 year-old woman to say While I’m no Elle Macpherson, I’m tall, slim, blonde and, so I’m often told, a good-looking woman. I know how lucky I am. But there are downsides to being pretty — the main one being that other women hate me for no other reason than my lovely looks.If you’re a woman reading this, I’d hazard that [..]

Internet Privacy.

Published on 2012-04-03 04:58:00

As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. (proverbs 26:11) I notice with alarm a return of proposals to allow the state to monitor Internet packet data, which represents a vast intrusion into people’s daily lives. The “terrorism” argument won’t wash. Network analysis can be already be achieved on suspects with a judge’s say so, and there have been almost no successful terrorist outrages outside Northern Ireland for a good few years. Clearly then, no further powers ar [..]

Honesty & Ineptitude

Published on 2012-04-02 02:16:00

If George Osborne had said "Pensioners, especially wealthy ones have enjoyed privileged tax treatment for a long time, and I'm levelling it out a bit, "intergenerational fairness" and all that..."or... "VAT harmonisation of Ambient food is necessary to comply with an EU directive"The budget would be about the big cut in taxes for the low-paid, not "granny taxes" and pasties.. Notice how when Cameron said. "Yes, of course I meet party donors, you morons. Here's the list" the story died? If Franci [..]

Police: Not Even Pretending Any More

Published on 2012-03-30 07:18:00

If anyone is in any doubt what's wrong with the British Police, Inspector Gadget should dispel those doubts today. Institutionally, they have absolute contempt for the people they're supposed to serve. This is why they should under no account be armed. The guns they do have should be removed. Use the Army when you need to shoot someone, because the police can't be trusted to not shoot someone "armed" with a table-leg.Contrary to Gadget's claims that the police are "on the front-line, battling sc [..]

Libertarianism, Mexxy, Miaow Miaow & The Drug War.

Published on 2012-03-29 04:58:00

So ketamine alternative, Mexxy is to be banned because it might have killed a couple of chaps from Melton Mobray. (No, I'd not heard of it either...). Just as Cocaine substitute, Miaow Miaow has been banned for much the same reason. Of course no-one has proved that Mexxy or Miaow Miaow are responsible for those deaths, or how prevalent the usage is, or indeed what the risks are. They are "associated with" deaths. Just as hospital admissions by people who have been drinking, but drink is not the [..]

Road Pricing by Fuel Duty Rebate.

Published on 2012-03-28 06:53:00

I've long argued the roads are mis-priced. For much of a 24 hour period, roads are underused, and therefore probably overpriced. For 4 hours a day there's gridlock in every town, and for most of the period 9:15am to 16:00, the roads are full, but flowing and therefore the price is about right. The Government's main means of pricing the roads is Fuel Duty.I've also opposed GPS-based road-pricing systems for privacy reasons. But I believe people should pay a market rate for services used, especial [..]

Game Group & What it means for Retail

Published on 2012-03-27 05:11:00

Another (less than iconic this time) retailer has gone bust. Game group sold console games to chavs and had two brands, GAME and Gamestation which cannibalised each other's sales. The problem is that even the most enormous, PC-challenging game can easily be delivered over the Internet, and there is no tactile element which demands you have to feel the merchandise before you take delivery. So there is no reason to own a shop to sell games. A website can be run with a small call-centre, and half a [..]

Pigouvian Taxation, Externalities and Markets.

Published on 2012-03-26 08:46:00

Tim Worstall, Writing at the ASI makes an interesting point about Pigouvian taxation. Namely that politicains will see them as a source of revenue rather than simply trying to disinterestedly find the level of Externalities to build into the price. And I'm afraid that the more we see of entirely righteous Pigou Taxes the more we see of this behaviour. I pointed out in these very pages some years back that if we applied the Stern Review to petrol taxation then fuel duty should fall by 12 p a l [..]

Traffic and why "I Hate Cyclists"

Published on 2012-03-19 16:58:00

Why do cyclists evoke such strong feelings from some drivers?It's not that cyclists behave dangerously. On any objective measure, cyclists are far, far less dangerous to other road users than cars. According to one study, In over 90% of the cases of death or serious injury to cyclists investigated in Toronto, the motorist was at fault, not the cyclist. Cyclists kill pedestrians substantially never, and when they do, it makes national news. It's not that cyclists hold the traffic up. Compared to [..]

"The Young are too Fussy."

Published on 2012-03-18 08:31:00

When presented with a problem, the implications of which the left don't like, their response is usually to malign the "right-wingers" asking the question and pretend the problem doesn't exist, rather than deal with any issues raised. Do you need an example? Claude at 'Hagley Road to Ladywood', one of my favourite lefty blogs, helpfully provides.Our young people are too fussy when it comes to jobs"....And the evidence for that would be...?Jack, of course, because it's the typical sweeping genera [..]

Conversations on Drugs with a Politician.

Published on 2012-03-08 10:31:00

I had a conversation recently on Twitter with a Councillor from Ipswich about drugs recently. This is one of the two subjects about which I'm like a dog with a bone. I cannot think of a more expensive, destructive, counterproductive and stupid policy than the "war on drugs". And like cycling, the dam is breaking, but it's important to keep educating, because prohibition's supporters are many and ill informed, however well supported they are by bad science and "studies" to support their case. She [..]

Entry for most inapropriate paraphrasing of "First they came..."

Published on 2012-03-08 05:14:00

Fuel Duty, stamp duty, council tax, parking charges. People HATE these taxes and campaign on the basis that these taxes are "unaffordable". Well, they're not, because people keep paying 'em. QED. It might hurt, but that's a feature, not a bug. I'm not arguing they're fair or reasonable. But this really is a case of liking taxes levied on other people. People whinge when they're taxed on what they like to do.The underlying problem is that the British state spends 50% of GDP and is raising 40% of [..]

Is Vince Cable Right?

Published on 2012-03-06 12:31:00

The 50p rate is a silly tax and raises little if any money, so needs to go. Osborne appears to want this. Both the Tories and Lib-Dems want to raise the income tax threshold to £10,000. This makes sense too. Why tax people earning less than a "living wage" and make them beg for some of it back? This seems perverse. This tax cut offsets any benefit cuts suffered by low-waged workers and makes a great deal of sense and seems fair. Politically, I can see why "the rich" need to be seen to pay more, [..]

Libertarianism and when the Lefties' masks slip.

Published on 2012-03-05 06:46:00

My good friend @NorthBriton45, who blogs at Radical Blues turned his irony klaxon off this morning. He's a socialist, one who's twitter handle takes as its inspiration (supposedly) John Wilkes' organ 'The North Briton', whose issue #45 led to a load of court cases as a parody of a King's speech was libellous. Wilkes himself got locked up in the tower.The Earl of Sandwich once said to Wilkes, (a notorious libertine, and member of the Hellfire club) "you will either die of the pox or on the Gallo [..]

The American Culture Wars.

Published on 2012-02-28 14:31:00

I fear for the United States of America. Their politics is becoming increasingly polarised, and neither tribe is anywhere close to the right answer.Let's look at the Democrats first. They are broadly anti free-trade, pro-union and increasingly collectivist. This is broadly the economic and social dead end that most of Europe is running down. The party sounds a lot like the Labour party on tax issues. They are absolutely convinced all the problems could be solved by extending taxes on 'the Rich', [..]

Cycle Safe

Published on 2012-02-23 11:53:00

Today's cycle-safe debate in parliament was attended by 75 MPs, not alas, mine. He was speaking to a handful in the main chamber on pensions.So. Basically, everyone agrees with the Times' campaign. Labour's shadow transport minister basically laid out a list of cyclists' demands. Of course she did, Labour can't see a bandwagon without jumping on it. There was however one key concession mentioned by the minister for cycling (I did not know we had one). Cyclists are to be written into road design [..]

London's Brave New Cycling World. Will I Like It?

Published on 2012-02-22 04:43:00

Dutch-style cycle infrastructure is on the way to London. It'll be half-arsed at first but we'll get there in the end. Making cycling a viable transport option's got a kind of political inevitability, like smoking bans and compulsory "traffic light" badges on food, because cycling has developed a lobby, which is growing in power. (As I am talking about politics, whether it's RIGHT is utterly irrelevant). I can see politicians being brow-beaten into jumping on the cycling band-wagon, and this is [..]

The 'War on Drugs' is a complete failure.

Published on 2012-02-19 05:13:00

Many of the people who support the continued waging of the 'War on Drugs' cite the social breakdown caused by drugs, so it's perhaps worth reading this post by Jim Brown, a probation officer, who sees first hand the problems caused by drug use, so he's bound to support the mass criminalisation of poor drug users, right? Virtually no aspect of the current regime works, in fact much of it compounds the problem and is hugely expensive along the way. But some drugs are so dangerous that they cannot [..]

Over-regulation.

Published on 2012-02-18 10:31:00

The Economist this week deals with the regulatory labyrinth of the Dodd-Frank act. It put me in mind of the regulation of my dusty corner of the financial services industry. We stockbrokers, managing money and advising clients on stocks, shares, unit-trusts, investment trusts, bonds, managing money in ISAs, Pensions, for Charities, trusts, companies, relying on long-term advisory relationships with clients. This is not an industry with a track-record of mis-selling products. Nor was it one, unli [..]

Moody's, Ed Balls & the Tories' Plan 'A'

Published on 2012-02-14 02:54:00

Let's be clear how little room for movement the Government has. The deficit is falling but remains at around 8% (down from well over 10%). Debt remains reasonable (by Europe's disastrous standards) at 70% of GDP or so. Just because other countries are worse, doesn't mean the UK can carry on spending however.The evidence appears to be that any stimulus from deficit financed government spending stops when debt reaches 80% of GDP, and that debt burdens over 120% of GDP kill growth (look at Italy an [..]

Yesterday's Sun

Published on 2012-02-13 12:23:00

A book called Yesterday's sun by Amanda Brooke turned up in my house for some reason. Having read the first 24 pages, filled with such eruptions of literary onanism as... "...the tell-tale white buds of of spring sparkled against the night..." I decided the book was an unreadable, cliche-ridden depiction of dreary people, about whom I felt nothing. The descriptions are flawed: "...Her bed was a writhing mass of bed-linen.."..."Writhing"? Is somebody still in it, or are there a lot of bed bugs? T [..]

Idealogical Certainty.

Published on 2012-02-12 07:38:00

The main problem with political debate is that the tribes are simply not interested in speaking to each other. The left think the right are only interested in the rich, and are basically self-interested. The right think the left are emotional children, assessing the motives behind policies (with cash inputs as a measurable proxy for morality) without being interested in the effects. Of course, most lefties fervently believe that the state can and should provide services and redistribute wealth, [..]

The Coalition & Its Dwindling Band of Friends

Published on 2012-02-11 05:05:00

When even the Spectator (£) turns on a Conservative PM you'd think he's in trouble. Blogger, Prodicus speaks for many when he says he's on the verge of leaving the Conservative party, mainly because of a complete lack of faith in the abilities of David Cameron, whom he believes to be something other than a Conservative. This is because of the Euro-sort-of-veto, right? No, not because of the vanishingly-few attractions of UKIP. I want us out but I am a realist and it's not the first item on tod [..]

"Out of Touch"?

Published on 2012-02-08 04:53:00

One of the common arguments thrown at me is that I am out of touch with "reality" and that all my economics comes "from a textbook" (which is odd, since all my economics has been learned on the job). Specifically, I can't know what the effect of unemployment means to the people to whom it happens. This is especially true when I argue against Labour protection. Of course to a leftie, all Tories are only in it for the benefit of "the rich" and the poor are simply a source of sustenance (as we eat [..]

Bad Science

Published on 2012-02-08 02:30:00

Created by: Clinical Psychology

The Welfare Reform Bill

Published on 2012-02-05 07:00:00

The most acrimonious debates on Twitter are between myself, and a few like-minded libertarians, and a purple-twibbon army of disabled people, about the Welfare reform bill.When asked what was his greatest political fear, Tony Blair once answered "the disabled". Sure enough when his administration attempted a similar set of reforms to those proposed at the moment by the Coalition, a passive-aggressive disabled mob chained themselves to railings all over the place and the reforms were defeated. La [..]

Manufacturing Jobs Wibble.

Published on 2012-02-04 14:45:00

I was talking to a Farmer recently (until about 1750, any job which wasn't involved in agricultural production wasn't "real"). He was telling me about how his new Tractor (he had one of the four-tracked Leviathans that Richard Hammond chose in that episode of Top Gear) could plough. Basically (I'm relating a conversation that happened in a pub, late at night, the details are largely irrelevant to the point I'm making) the GPS could be set to have the furrows overlap within a few inches. The prod [..]

Ground of Your Choosing: The Benefits Cap.

Published on 2012-01-24 02:38:00

In battle, a successful commander will draw the enemy onto ground of his choosing. At this, Tony Blair was a master. By drawing the Tories to fight on ground, like Europe or the NHS, where they were weak, they were made to seem out of touch. The result was three election victories. Indeed New Labour's vilest policy, the plan to lock innocent people in gaol for 42 days before telling them what they were supposed to have done, was merely an attempt to discomfit the Tories. Propose a policy so vile [..]

Scotland & Northern Ireland

Published on 2012-01-23 05:30:00

The Language of the Protestant community in Northern Ireland is called Ullans or Ulster Scots. The plantation of Ulster, in what many view as the First British Empire, started under Britain's first King, James I, who was, before he ascended the English throne, known as James VI of Scotland. Earlier English plantations had been concentrated around Dublin, but he sent Scots to form "plantations" in northern Ireland, whose troubles since have been about ownership of Land. To this day, most towns i [..]

Victim's "Justice"

Published on 2011-07-06 03:00:00

So a Private Investigator retained by the Whore's Gazette listened into the Voice-mail messages. This included Slebs: (meh), Politicians (double Meh... indeed this is the very definition of "investigative journalism"). However they did not stick to p

Is "Employment" the problem?

Published on 2011-07-03 09:03:00

By far the most important economic metric, as far as politicians around the world are concerned, is "Unemployment". If this rises - particularly amongst the middle-class, who can be relied upon to vote - governments tend to fall. This is as true in

Poke Piggy – Johann Hari and Plagiarism

Published on 2011-06-30 03:50:00

Now to be honest, I’ve never read the bloke. Johann Hari writes for the Independent, a comic that I only read when I want the Marxist-Leninist take on the Rugby Results. You know the thing… “the Heroic French Proletariat beat those evil English

Left-Wing Stupid Attack...

Published on 2011-06-29 12:16:00

Often, you'll find yourself debating with a lefty, finding yourself faced with the same tired, idiotic arguments abour how evil markets are, and supporting their application to public services makes one a baby-eating bastard. It's total nonsense of c

Open Season

Published on 2011-06-29 08:58:00

Excellent news, the British nation is allowed to hunt again. No, its not Foxes, and people won’t be able to dust off their Double Barrelled Shotgun, but this will do for now. The British government have allowed open season on Burglars. Marvellous.

Grocer goes gaga

Published on 2011-06-27 04:49:00

I honestly thought that the 2007 Butler inquest pursued at vast expense to the public purse to explore the ravings of idiots, retards and mad men had finally put this to Bed. But, it seems that the Egyptian Ex- grocer has returned to his mad ravings

No Surely not!

Published on 2011-06-24 01:39:00

The Metro came out with a front page article on the numbers of deaths from drugs use. Now my blog colleague Jackart has probably bored you rigid with his Party Political Broadcasts for the Crank Whore party so I’m not going there. What I will do is

Brian Haw’s Death

Published on 2011-06-22 04:30:00

The tramp Protestor who invented Iraq war dead numbers that looked like long distance phone lines, and who has been hanging round Parliament square since just after 9/11 - Brian Haw - has died of Lung Cancer. And while I champion his right to say wha

The Case Against School Vouchers.

Published on 2011-06-21 09:47:00

As education policy is in the news at the moment, I was looking for evidence for school voucher programs around the world, I came across an academic book The Case Against School Vouchers. Contrary to the Amazon review, which said [The authors] were

Thoughts on Evidence on the National Minimum Wage.

Published on 2011-06-20 04:43:00

In general, the classical economic view is that by pricing people whose labour is worth £5.92 or less per hour out of the market, a National Minimum wage increases unemployment. And the economic evidence from other countries is pretty compelling: a

Thoughts on Evidence on the National Minimum Wage.

Published on 2011-06-20 04:43:00

In general, the classical economic view is that by pricing people whose labour is worth £5.92 or less per hour out of the market, a National Minimum wage increases unemployment. And the economic evidence from other countries is pretty compelling: a

The Banality of Evil

Published on 2011-06-18 06:25:00

Hiding behind "lack of discretion to give warnings", brave customs officials pounced on a wicked Farmer who mows a local football pitch once a fortnight. For free.Because he's a farmer, the fuel ALREADY IN THE TRACTOR'S TANK will be cheaper, low-duty

The Banality of Evil

Published on 2011-06-18 06:25:00

Hiding behind "lack of discretion to give warnings", brave customs officials pounced on a wicked Farmer who mows a local football pitch once a fortnight. For free.Because he's a farmer, the fuel ALREADY IN THE TRACTOR'S TANK will be cheaper, low-duty

Vancouver, Canada – I feel let down by you

Published on 2011-06-17 05:33:00

Dear Vancouver,As a city peopled by stout Yeoman stock from these fair isles I feel disgusted by you perpetuating a violent series of actions that has zero true meaning and is a reflection of the vacuous nature of the culture and society we live in t

Vancouver, Canada – I feel let down by you

Published on 2011-06-17 05:33:00

Dear Vancouver,As a city peopled by stout Yeoman stock from these fair isles I feel disgusted by you perpetuating a violent series of actions that has zero true meaning and is a reflection of the vacuous nature of the culture and society we live in t

Ayman al-Zawahiri

Published on 2011-06-16 04:06:00

Following Osama Bin Laden falling into the drink, Al Qaeda have picked a new leader. He was the obvious choice really. He's a fabulous Tripple Word score in Scrabble and he was needed. Al Qaeda was looking shaky. It was touch and go until the 4th pin

Ayman al-Zawahiri

Published on 2011-06-16 04:06:00

Following Osama Bin Laden falling into the drink, Al Qaeda have picked a new leader. He was the obvious choice really. He's a fabulous Tripple Word score in Scrabble and he was needed. Al Qaeda was looking shaky. It was touch and go until the 4th pin

British Manufacturing - It is about the Bike.

Published on 2011-06-15 10:00:00

I've just finished reading Rob Penn's It's all about the Bike, about one man's perfect bicycle, based around a hand-built British Frame. In doing so the book reveals the history of the Bicycle, and how the bicycle was the invention which built the mo

British Manufacturing - It is about the Bike.

Published on 2011-06-15 10:00:00

I've just finished reading Rob Penn's It's all about the Bike, about one man's perfect bicycle, based around a hand-built British Frame. In doing so the book reveals the history of the Bicycle, and how the bicycle was the invention which built the mo

Wimmin Unite

Published on 2011-06-15 07:42:00

There seems a load of shite around at the moment regarding Feminists being really annoying and really really stupid. Firstly we had Germaine Greer equivocating all soldiers with rape – Nothing mentioned about the fact that the study was probably de

Wimmin Unite

Published on 2011-06-15 07:42:00

There seems a load of shite around at the moment regarding Feminists being really annoying and really really stupid. Firstly we had Germaine Greer equivocating all soldiers with rape – Nothing mentioned about the fact that the study was probably de

More on the Legalisation of Narcotics

Published on 2011-06-09 14:17:00

Thanks to 'Stranger Here Myself' who left a comment on my recent post, in which he asks some intelligent questions.1. What do you envisage being the legal minimum age for the purchase and use of narcotics? Will it be a single minimum age for all na

More on the Legalisation of Narcotics

Published on 2011-06-09 14:17:00

Thanks to 'Stranger Here Myself' who left a comment on my recent post, in which he asks some intelligent questions.1. What do you envisage being the legal minimum age for the purchase and use of narcotics? Will it be a single minimum age for all na

Ditch the Car, Bike to work.

Published on 2011-06-09 02:37:00

I've been mulling the issue for a while: Why don't more people cycle to work? There are a number of excuses given. I thought I'd have a go at dealing with some of them.1) It's too far. Fair enough - 10 miles is probably the longest reasonable daily c

Ditch the Car, Bike to work.

Published on 2011-06-09 02:37:00

I've been mulling the issue for a while: Why don't more people cycle to work? There are a number of excuses given. I thought I'd have a go at dealing with some of them.1) It's too far. Fair enough - 10 miles is probably the longest reasonable daily c

Sexualisation of kids

Published on 2011-06-06 08:36:00

The government has told manufacturers and retailers that if they don’t stop producing and selling stuff to kids with the word “Porn Star” on boob tubes for the 5-10 year old ranges they’ll ban it. I am fairly heartened by this because the Gov

Sexualisation of kids

Published on 2011-06-06 08:36:00

The government has told manufacturers and retailers that if they don’t stop producing and selling stuff to kids with the word “Porn Star” on boob tubes for the 5-10 year old ranges they’ll ban it. I am fairly heartened by this because the Gov

The War on Drugs: The Dam is Breaking.

Published on 2011-06-02 08:04:00

So, following the rare outbreak of sanity earlier this year from our very own Bob Ainsworth, a few more serious people have put their heads above the parapet and called for an end to the War on Drugs. This time the signatories include the former Pres

The War on Drugs: The Dam is Breaking.

Published on 2011-06-02 08:04:00

So, following the rare outbreak of sanity earlier this year from our very own Bob Ainsworth, a few more serious people have put their heads above the parapet and called for an end to the War on Drugs. This time the signatories include the former Pres

Sepp Blatter, FIFA and the FA

Published on 2011-06-02 05:39:00

Now I know that I have previously said that Football is a game for frothing homosexuals who make Julian Clary look like Bear Grylls; and who dive like a death scene in a School production of Romeo and Juliette. Haven’t I? Well I have now. But for s

Heroes and Anti-Heroes.

Published on 2011-06-01 02:35:00

In previous generations, Americans have enjoyed mafia anti-heroes, morally questionable wild-west lawmen & outlaws. They've celebrated the guy running from the law, they've thrilled at rule-breakers and loners who get the job done. Investigative

Oxfam, Food, Oil and Commodity prices

Published on 2011-05-31 08:34:00

Some say commodity prices reflect supply and demand. They do, but rising prices almost never reflect a shortage of the commodity but an overabundance of money.Oxfam's latest iteration of the "we're all fucked, everything's fucked" hypothesis is just

The Spanish Indignados

Published on 2011-05-25 05:01:00

Some Spanish chaps – a lot of them really – have decided to invade Puerta Del Sol square and sit down in protest about the world Economy and how deeply unfair it all is. They want a “New politics” and “A new way of doing things”. Now an u

Obama's Limo on Irish Roads

Published on 2011-05-24 05:20:00

Obama's Limo is massively over-engineered, and is in theory able to operate as a Mobile life-support system and armoured cell capable of withstanding all but the most well-equipped and determined attack. (via) the vehicle is fitted with military gra

The IMF and Gordon Brown

Published on 2011-05-24 03:13:00

I never thought I’d have to write about this again. I honestly thought he’d take his taxpayers money and stay in whatever Rotten Celtic Borough that elects him to do the square root of fuck all in Parliament. That he’d stay churning out his dre

Publish & Be Damned

Published on 2011-05-23 07:26:00

So. A footballer, whose name absolutely everyone with an Internet connection and an interest already knows, got a super injunction which prevents any media organisation reporting the fact that he had an affair with a Big Brother 7 contestant called I

Her Maj in Ireland

Published on 2011-05-20 07:22:00

My 4 pennies worth on the Royal visit to Ireland. I make no apologies in briefly skimming the history between our two nations, because this visit is all about history. Am I happy that Britain and Ireland have a good working relationship? That our hea

If we absolutely must must have PR...

Published on 2011-05-18 02:50:00

The Liberal Democrats stand for 2 things: Anything to anyone and PR. And as a price of Getting rid of that cunt Brown and his fucking useless cronies, we are to have the stupid, filthy foreign electoral system foisted on the UK for the Election of (e

Do you like Adverts? If not, don't buy Facebook.

Published on 2011-05-16 06:56:00

Microsoft paid $8bn for skype, a business which competes directly with MSN messenger and generates substantially no revenue per user (though may do so in time if the computer replaces the 'phone). And it probably helps Microsoft get into the smart-ph

Brendan Barber, Ignorant, Stupid or Lying?

Published on 2011-05-12 07:12:00

Over at Liberal Conspiracy the General Secretary of the TUC, Brendan Barber has penned an article which asks British Firms to pay higher wages in order to grow the economy. This is typical of a socialist, in that it puts the cart before the horse. Em

Lonely Planet on UK tourism

Published on 2011-05-11 05:18:00

I see the Lonely Planet has had its annual 4 pennies' worth on the state of the UK tourism industry. Its owned now by the Bolshevik Broadcasting Corporation, who for some reason decided a state broadcaster should get into the guidebook market with ta

Lib Dems, Lords Reform and AV

Published on 2011-05-10 05:18:00

It seems the Wooly In-betweens now want rewards and prizes despite loosing the AV vote by twelve sore bottoms to none. After a gargantuan hissy fit they are talking about wanting Lords reform and binning the NHS reforms. How very Liberal Democrat Spo

Scottish Independence

Published on 2011-05-09 05:23:00

Dear Scotland.Want some more tasteful and sophisticated monuments? Something that really fits with how you want the rest of the world to see Scotland – Vote Alex and FREEEEDOM.

No Vote

Published on 2011-05-09 02:36:00

Guess 67.9% of people didn’t want an Islington Thousand Year Reich then?

Burying Bin Laden

Published on 2011-05-04 04:44:00

People are firstly complaining that he was shot whilst unarmed. Quite frankly I couldn’t care less whether he was caught with his pants round his ankles pleasuring himself with a Royal Agricultural Show Prize winning leek. The guy has killed thousa

Another Piece of Labour's Subtle Electoral Corruption

Published on 2011-05-02 09:50:00

Sometimes the British state amazes me. Sometimes soldiers, both TA and regular get sent somewhere at short notice. The same is true of businessmen, salesmen, and a large number of individuals in the private sector. I imagine fewer people in the publi

Chaser, Australia, Free Lunches and the Royal Wedding

Published on 2011-04-28 06:31:00

The Breadstealers are joining in on the bitching about the Royal Wedding coverage, following the Americans whining about the fact that they’re turning the Palace lights off at midnight to save money. They were hiring two live feeds on the wedding.

Calm Down Dear

Published on 2011-04-28 03:14:00

The hypocrisy of T’Brothers stinks on this one. They slag people off left right and centre – see here. And it’s a damn site more nasty and unpleasant than a gag from a TV commercial. There’s lefties I’m aware of who are going to drink Champ

Obamas Birth Certificate

Published on 2011-04-28 01:47:00

Donald Trump has been leading "birther" claimsHopefully this has now been put to bed. Quite frankly the Birth Certificate issue looked like insane ravings, and did the Republicans no good whatsoever. It deflected fire on Obama, as time spent saying h

More on the AV Vote

Published on 2011-04-26 05:28:00

Guido quite rightly points out that the Yes vote deploying Peter Mandelson to encourage you to change the political system is a bit incongruous vis a vis their claim about AV reducing corruption and make MPs work harder. This is mostly due to the fac

Are you stupid enough to vote no? The AV Vote

Published on 2011-04-20 06:35:00

It seems the No to AV vote has had a big boost coming up to the Holidays where any canvassing – For or Against - will result in a hearty go forth from the British public. The conversation will go something like this…Evangelical Canvasser: “Woul

Ow Much!?

Published on 2011-04-19 04:43:00

A few years back a Colleague of mine was wondering through a brand new Waitrose – the first in Yorkshire to open. He said the only thing he heard wondering through the store was the fine Yorkshire Accent everywhere in the store saying “Ow Much?!

A Hiatus

Published on 2011-04-19 02:21:00

Fear not, though the volume may drop, this is evidence of an improving economy, for I am busy, as is TravelGal with work and impending nuptuals. I will be away for a couple of weeks after easter. Hopefully then I will be able to entertain you all onc

Icesave and the Icelandic Referendum

Published on 2011-04-12 04:38:00

Look, I like Iceland. I like the scenery, the tons of stuff to do and the fact that 90% of the women are hot. Doesn’t stop them being a bunch of thieving bastards though. The simplified version of what happened is this:The Icelandic government Pass

Pull Over

Published on 2011-04-11 04:26:00

“Quiet family man” who went nuts and shot a Senior Officer should have been weeded out according to numerous card carrying geniuses who have a 20/20 vision when it comes to hindsight. Certain things can be spotted before a tragedy happens, social

Lefty Logic & the Minimum Wage.

Published on 2011-04-07 08:27:00

Lefties' double-think on the minimum wage is quite staggering. It is perfectly fair to argue against low wages as immoral and perfectly fair to suggest that the state should not be subsidising meagre wages. Howver to suggest that the minimum wage has

GINI and wealth.

Published on 2011-04-05 03:30:00

Over in the Twittersphere, I occasionally argue with lefties, who occasionally make points which cannot be refuted in 140 characters. socialism wins: if left wing ideas don't work. How come the richest nations tend to have low gini (high equity)? The

Rally Against Debt

Published on 2011-03-31 03:37:00

So far the only game in town, rhetorically speaking opposing the coalition programme has been the various groups of "students" chucking rocks at police because someone took their weed money away, "students" chucking rocks at police becauce someone su

Update from the Libyan front

Published on 2011-03-30 09:07:00

At the time of writing my first post, Qaddafi's forces were massed outside Benghazi, ready to take the city, and the world was deciding whether or not to stop him. Thankfully, they did decide to stop him, which means that all those who thought we sho

Osborne's Budget

Published on 2011-03-24 03:37:00

Of all the announcements, the merging of NI and Income tax is potentially the most significant. Other than that, the budget contained mostly steady-as-she-goes measures, with the political necessity of meeting a stupid election promise - the fuel pri

No-Fly-Zones & the "Wisdom" of Cowards.

Published on 2011-03-17 10:21:00

There's no point setting up a No-Fly-Zone in Libya because the killing is going on, on the ground; and because in any case, by the time it's set up, All of libya will be Gadaffi's once more. I think I have summarised the position of Thinking Strategi

Japanese Tsunami & Broken Windows

Published on 2011-03-16 03:53:00

No first world country has ever experienced a natural disaster of the destructiveness of the Japanese earthquake, and only the Boxing day Tsunami in 2005 exceeds it for sheer human tragedy. The following is not to belittle the suffering of the Jap

International "Law", the UN & Libya.

Published on 2011-03-11 02:06:00

Let's face it, the only country which COULD help the Libyan insurgents in any meaningful way is the USA. But Obama won't go without a UN resolution, Which Russia will veto, and he's shown precious little interest in the issue. Britain & France co

Not inherently evil - Theresa Riggi murders

Published on 2011-03-08 03:30:00

And so says a Judge in the case where a mother called Theresa Riggi killed her kids so the ex-husband couldn’t get access. I’m sorry but somebody so deeply fucking unpleasant that she’d kill her children isn’t evil? Rather than share them wit

New Zealand earthquake

Published on 2011-03-07 11:55:00

Now I make take the piss out of the Kiwis with their inability to see somebody wearing Black stamping on the ankle of somebody wearing White, or spear tackling somebody wearing Red. And then there’s the Kiwi Lateral Pass, the Hands up like an Itali

Poison to Political Discourse.

Published on 2011-03-07 06:47:00

Predictably, there's a "campaign", more like one lonely, inadequate woman, whose child is 'special' who are demanding that a councillor be fired for describing the public Gallery as "retards". Not the nicest thing to say about your electorate, but pr

The Dagenham awards – Charlie Sheen, Hugo Chavez and Pakistan

Published on 2011-03-07 05:35:00

For those not living or working in the capital of Great Britain and Northern Ireland “Dagenham” is the phrase that relates to the District line as 3 stops beyond Barking (Mad). I.e. Beyond Mad. And this month we’ve had some absolute corkers, an

The cuts do not go far enough

Published on 2011-03-03 10:35:00

They should fire this bunch of nanny state wank stains for a start. “Council wardens and Essex Police will carry out random inspections across the county to look for evidence of illicit cigarette use”. How the fuck do you people manage to get up

The Dude talks to UK Uncut on Twitter.

Published on 2011-03-02 04:50:00

are @ukuncut #ukuncut disonest or stupid? Barclays this time. http://is.gd/HKKKgW which didn't need a bail-out and which pays a lot of tax. the entire banking system would have collapsed if it wan't for the bail. And no they don't pay a lot of tax.

Dior, Galliano and the Jewish people.

Published on 2011-03-01 04:32:00

Fashion people tend to be a bit vacuous, oh fuck it, let’s not beat round the bush - they’re as shallow as a car park puddle. They make Actors look positively brilliant in comparison, and the comparison one usually makes with actors IQ is usually

Inflation & What to do about it.

Published on 2011-02-28 04:15:00

There is no doubt that the cost of living is rising fast. Oil, Food and Money (interest rates) are all getting, or about to get a lot more expensive. However as I said on Friday moring to those unfortunate enough to be both up at 5:30am and listening

The awards season

Published on 2011-02-28 01:00:00

I have to admit I’ve been fascinated by the awards season this year. We’ve seen some truly outstanding categories, the excitement is immense. And who can forget all those scrummy arse cracks on the red carpet as the Screwfix Academy Awards get un

Wake Up To The Dude.

Published on 2011-02-25 02:19:00

At OH MY GOD O'CLOCK This morning, I appeared on "wake up to money" (my bit's from 5:30 in) this on Radio 5-live . My expertise is the Oil price and Oil companies. I can talk reaasonably confidently on the effects of the recent price rise both to t

Obama not invited to the Royal wedding

Published on 2011-02-24 08:48:00

I guess Fl Lieutenant Windsor and his future wife didn't need a $20 Gift Certificate from Wall Mart or Circuit City for some DVD's.Also pleased Sarkozy didn't get an invite. Next time there's a D-Day comemoration, try inviting the only heads of state

NEETS

Published on 2011-02-24 01:45:00

Not in Employment, Education or Training - describing the young, long-term unemployed. Some bloke from a Blairite think-tank, Demos was brought on to Radio 4's 'Today' to discuss the idea that Youth unemployment was growing, had been growing for some

Operator, get me Havana 1212

Published on 2011-02-23 08:10:00

The unfortunately still alive Fidel Castro believes the US and NATO are ready to invade Libya. Now I know TV reception isn’t very good in Cuba, but perhaps he had missed the fact that NATO is really rather busy at the moment in Afghanistan. Meanwhi

Political asylum

Published on 2011-02-22 05:10:00

Malta has just doubled the size of its Air Force, with two Dassault Mirage F1 and 3 Aerospatiale SA316B Alouette III Helicopters. They even came with the pilots to fly them courtesy of the Libyan Air Force. The Alouette are Junk, and venerable junk a

Barclays, in the firing line.

Published on 2011-02-21 02:23:00

It had to happen sooner or later: UK Uncut, the provisional wing of Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs, have decided that Barclays, a business which moved heaven and earth in order to avoid a government bail out, selling businesses and going cap-in-

Forza Italia

Published on 2011-02-17 07:44:00

In the UK the antics of Signor Berlusconi have the essence of a Benny Hill show. It gives us a good laugh as the creepy old foreign man chases a bunch of nubile young women round the place. And to be fair what’s not to laugh as he sticks a bunch of

Forza Italia

Published on 2011-02-17 07:44:00

In the UK the antics of Signor Berlusconi have the essence of a Benny Hill show. It gives us a good laugh as the creepy old foreign man chases a bunch of nubile young women round the place. And to be fair what’s not to laugh as he sticks a bunch of

A British Bill of Rights.

Published on 2011-02-17 04:15:00

The news that convicted sex-offenders are to be given the right to appeal their life-time requirement to sign on the sex-offenders' register has prompted tabloid Paedogeddon and a reprive of the pre-election Tory policy of a British Bill of Rights. T

A British Bill of Rights.

Published on 2011-02-17 04:15:00

The news that convicted sex-offenders are to be given the right to appeal their life-time requirement to sign on the sex-offenders' register has prompted tabloid Paedogeddon and a reprive of the pre-election Tory policy of a British Bill of Rights. T

Death to ….

Published on 2011-02-15 06:16:00

If you’re an Iranian member of parliament, just about everybody it seems. America, Israel, the Judean Peoples Front, Kurds, and now opposition MP’s. Can’t they think of something else? “Take the socks off and tickle their feet with a feather

Death to ….

Published on 2011-02-15 06:16:00

If you’re an Iranian member of parliament, just about everybody it seems. America, Israel, the Judean Peoples Front, Kurds, and now opposition MP’s. Can’t they think of something else? “Take the socks off and tickle their feet with a feather

Can a Five Year Old Understand what you do?

Published on 2011-02-15 02:01:00

There were 2 instances reported this morning of Armed forces personel losing their jobs. 32 Warrant Officers, one of whom was in Afghanistan, were sacked by e-mail rather than being afforded the courtesy of being told by their commanding officer. Thi

Can a Five Year Old Understand what you do?

Published on 2011-02-15 02:01:00

There were 2 instances reported this morning of Armed forces personel losing their jobs. 32 Warrant Officers, one of whom was in Afghanistan, were sacked by e-mail rather than being afforded the courtesy of being told by their commanding officer. Thi

Optimism, for now.

Published on 2011-02-14 05:42:00

For the first time since the invasion of Iraq, I now see an end to the "war on terror" with Egypt holding out the hope of a free and democratic Middle East, which exports more than oil and suicide bombers. The peacful and enthusiastic attitude of the

Optimism, for now.

Published on 2011-02-14 05:42:00

For the first time since the invasion of Iraq, I now see an end to the "war on terror" with Egypt holding out the hope of a free and democratic Middle East, which exports more than oil and suicide bombers. The peacful and enthusiastic attitude of the

The 'Big Society' or big society?

Published on 2011-02-13 06:57:00

Everyone, it seems, is cheering the demise of "the Big Society", and even Cameron seems to be dropping the capitalisation. The left think the concept is ideological cover for "cuts" and the right just think the whole thing is amorphous bollocks. Libe

The 'Big Society' or big society?

Published on 2011-02-13 06:57:00

Everyone, it seems, is cheering the demise of "the Big Society", and even Cameron seems to be dropping the capitalisation. The left think the concept is ideological cover for "cuts" and the right just think the whole thing is amorphous bollocks. Libe

CofE to re-write Baptism Service in Modern Speak Innit.

Published on 2011-02-10 08:18:00

The Godly folks at the CofE have decided they need to introduce text speak into the baptism. Now normally I’d leave this to somebody more qualified to comment but quite frankly I can’t resist.Surely the whole point of God is that he’s a constan

CofE to re-write Baptism Service in Modern Speak Innit.

Published on 2011-02-10 08:18:00

The Godly folks at the CofE have decided they need to introduce text speak into the baptism. Now normally I’d leave this to somebody more qualified to comment but quite frankly I can’t resist.Surely the whole point of God is that he’s a constan

What a Cock

Published on 2011-02-09 06:00:00

Somebody’s Chickens came home to roost when a Cockerel they had attached a knife and razor blades to stabbed its owner to death. Apparently the Chicken in question knifed Jose Luis Ochoa in the calf with a knife attached to the limb of the bird. No

What a Cock

Published on 2011-02-09 06:00:00

Somebody’s Chickens came home to roost when a Cockerel they had attached a knife and razor blades to stabbed its owner to death. Apparently the Chicken in question knifed Jose Luis Ochoa in the calf with a knife attached to the limb of the bird. No

A headline you will not see on the BBC

Published on 2011-02-09 02:19:00

More than half of Labour Donors "from The Unions"Almost all donations to the Labour Party last year came from the Trades Unions, it was revealed last night. Trades Unions, shadowy organisation responsible for decades of industrial unrest in the 80's

A headline you will not see on the BBC

Published on 2011-02-09 02:19:00

More than half of Labour Donors "from The Unions"Almost all donations to the Labour Party last year came from the Trades Unions, it was revealed last night. Trades Unions, shadowy organisation responsible for decades of industrial unrest in the 80's

The Dick Van Dyke award for worst accent goes to…

Published on 2011-02-08 08:55:00

The first pictures are out of Meryl Streep who is playing our former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (PBUH). Now this film is a BBC production of her actions before the Falklands war. So we can expect lots of poor oppressed miners and peace loving C

The Dick Van Dyke award for worst accent goes to…

Published on 2011-02-08 08:55:00

The first pictures are out of Meryl Streep who is playing our former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (PBUH). Now this film is a BBC production of her actions before the Falklands war. So we can expect lots of poor oppressed miners and peace loving C

Urban Planning in the "War on the Motorist".

Published on 2011-02-07 09:30:00

Motoring has never cost more? Not true says Joe Dunkley. What is probably true is that motoring is a painful cost for many people. But paradoxically, it’s the fall in the cost of motoring that has caused this problem. During the good times of t

Urban Planning in the "War on the Motorist".

Published on 2011-02-07 09:30:00

Motoring has never cost more? Not true says Joe Dunkley. What is probably true is that motoring is a painful cost for many people. But paradoxically, it’s the fall in the cost of motoring that has caused this problem. During the good times of t

The Running of the Mouth - Bercow

Published on 2011-02-04 02:03:00

Warning, give whatever meal you’ve eaten time top digest. This could turn you bilious.Sally Bercow, has said how Parliament makes her feel “Incredibly Sexy” and her Husband is a “Sex symbol”. Big Ben is “Sexy” Ditto the view from the Gr

Hot Beverages

Published on 2011-02-03 03:52:00

I’m going to channel my inner Dennis Leary and have a moan up about Coffee today. The Dorris in front of me ordered a “Skinny Extra Hot extra Wet 2 pump Hazelnut Macchiato with the lid separate”. What the Fucking Fuckety Fuck are you on about l

Media & the Egyptian Revolution

Published on 2011-02-01 02:07:00

I've been watching Al Jazeera, who, since they've (officially) been kicked out of the country are probably telling the truth. What's interesting is the priorities of the other news organisations in reporting the story.The BBC interview Polly Toynbee,

Multiculturalism

Published on 2011-01-27 03:46:00

'Multiculturalism' is a much abused word. Broadly, when used as a pejorative by those of the Daily Mail tendency, usually in phrases such as "the failed experiment in multiculturalism" which means "I don't like wogs". When used enthusiastically by th

Jairmany Calling

Published on 2011-01-27 02:58:00

The Wireless arm of our State Propaganda service Al_Beeb is to undergo swinging cuts. Apparently the BBC World Service is closing off the Serbian, Montenegrin, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Albanian, Vietnamese and Ukrainian. Also to go is the Caribbean

Travelgall’s Manifesto

Published on 2011-01-26 12:35:00

One of my dear readers called Anonymous has decided I’m a snob and a rotter. That I’m “not a good person”. I have to admit the Epater le bourgeoisie part of me wants to prove them right. But I can’t be bothered running round trying to find

Real Wages, After Tax.

Published on 2011-01-26 10:32:00

Politicians need to be measured on their performance. Typically Labour ones like to be measured by how much they spend (they use the word "investment") on public services, because they think the NHS is a proxy for morality. (The established church co

Undercovers

Published on 2011-01-24 03:26:00

There are many types of bravery in the world. Charging Taliban Machine Gun posts when your mates have all been shot, surrendering your seat on a lifeboat to a woman and child despite the fact that she’s clearly sailing stowage and is thus socially

Tarok Kolace, Ben Tre, all over again?

Published on 2011-01-21 07:13:00

Whatever the logistical and military reasons for destroying something, the costs of doing so run wider than the immediate operation. In this case a commander decided upon using 25 tons of explosives to flatten an Afghan village as it was so thourougl

Oh Happy day

Published on 2011-01-21 03:13:00

Alan Johnson has quit his post as Shadow Chancellor for “Personal Reasons”. He won’t have been fired for being crap so I wonder what these “personal reasons” are. This usually means that the person in question is about to get a full Weekend

Grant Students free cash

Published on 2011-01-20 04:48:00

The guardian describes scrapping the Educational Maintenance Allowance as “controversial”. Can anybody explain what is controversial about scrapping a tax payer funded bribe to keep people in education paid for by the taxpayer. Because it seems t

What the left thinks is important

Published on 2011-01-19 06:25:00

From a tweet by somebody called "Highlander"during PMQs.WANTED: Leader of UK political party - Only white, male, middle-aged, Oxbridge educated, millionaires need apply! #PMQs #TheyAreAllTheSameAll you are is your tribe. Where you went to school or U

“Baby Doc” returns to Haiti

Published on 2011-01-18 05:01:00

What can we learn from the return to Haiti of “Baby Doc” Duvallier. Well, for one, certain countries are so screwed up nothing can be done to save them. Save your money for a nation that is actually trying to save themselves e.g. Botswana from th

Like the end of the Cold War?

Published on 2011-01-18 03:50:00

Old Holborn's post on the Tunisian revolution is eloquent. The uprising in Tunisia was caused by a simple act of desperation. An unemployed man, unable to earn money and not fed by the Welfare state decided he would sell vegetables to his fellow ci

Chasing Rainbows

Published on 2011-01-17 04:57:00

I've finally got round to finishing Tim Worstall's book Chasing Rainbows, which can be yours for the trivial sum of £6.49, and it really is very good. Tim, an economic scribbler and Scandium wholesaler by trade applies the prinicples of economics to

Hiring and Firing people

Published on 2011-01-14 14:00:00

Lefties believe, passionately, that the state should regulate employment: who works for whom, and under what conditions they work, what contracts they can write, and whether or not and under what circumstances they can be fired. The state is crucial

A Lesson in unintended consequences.

Published on 2011-01-13 05:46:00

Despite teething problems, London's "Boris Bikes" have been a roaring success, with demand outstripping supply, even as the scheme expands. Inevitably some people have been hurt, and the usual nanny-staters have called for helmets to be compulsory. I

When "punishing the banks" becomes Self-Defeating.

Published on 2011-01-12 05:16:00

Ed Milliband's line of questioning at PMQs today was telling. Sod the amount a tax-payer, in this case "the banks" pays. What's more important is the detail of HOW that money is raised. Punishing "The Bankers" is more important than raising money for

Solidarity Brother

Published on 2011-01-11 05:23:00

The Brazilians have denied Port and Fuelling to a Royal Navy ship based in the Falkland Islands. Practically the first act of the new Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. It appears the new Presidente Ms Dilda is using this as a way of sucking up to A

Fly the friendly skies

Published on 2011-01-10 07:59:00

You probably didn’t notice that another Iranian aircraft smashed into the ground Sunday night. And if you did the thing you are feeling is not Déjà vu, you really have heard this before – a hell of a lot to be frank. That’s a grand total of 1

Making the British shopping experience more pleasant

Published on 2011-01-10 05:55:00

I went to Brighton at the weekend and had a lovely time. I didn’t leave the lanes for most of the time I was there. I can heartily recommend it for buying Antiques, Swords and Jewellery – the necklace wasn’t for me you understand.My overall sho

Why NetrootsUK is Doomed to Fail

Published on 2011-01-09 09:01:00

Netroots UK is the project by centre-left bloggers to "build the progressive grassroots online" in order to......make better links between campaigners from the worlds of politics, environment, development, civil liberties, unions, community groups

Lies, Damn Lies & Statistics. And Asian Rapists.

Published on 2011-01-08 15:57:00

Whilst I don't always agree with Chris Dillow of 'Stumbling & Mumbling' he is excellent at challenging the cognitive biases which infest everyone's political discourse, including mine. Just as Dubner & Levitt attempt to eke out the counter in

Friday Links

Published on 2011-01-07 09:31:00

Because I haven't time to post, I thought I'd share with you my nominations for this week's Britblog Roundup.One from Instpector Gadget about how senior officers are selected, and why they therefore ruin everything. This contains a similar argument t

The end of Australian Sporting dominance

Published on 2011-01-06 04:43:00

There’s the usual flood of paranoia in the Colonies about the piss poor showing in the Cricket. One commentator is bemoaning the fact that Australian Rules Football is stealing the best and brightest athletes from games played in more than one coun

Targets & What they do to Priorities.

Published on 2011-01-05 05:57:00

Pointed out by Mr. Eugenides who's outsoursing some of his blogging to me. This is absolutely disgusting. So you're not allowed to tell people to stop doing something illegal so that the police can high-five each other for catching them instead?I'

Jew Eggs

Published on 2011-01-05 05:47:00

The brave and vigilant Saudi Security forces have arrested a Vulture that is part of the Zionist Conspiracy against Islam. According to Sky “The Saudi Arabian newspaper al-Weeam claims the bird was caught in a rural area with a "foul odor coming ou

My Shit Life So Far.

Published on 2011-01-04 15:19:00

The autobiography of Frankie Boyle. In any case the whole of television and celebrity is simply a distracton aimed at keeping you sedated while your pockets are picked by vested interests which may or may not be lizards. You're going to end up with c

100 Days of Miliband

Published on 2011-01-04 05:34:00

Red Ed has decided that the Vat hike is bad for poor working families. He’s right in so much as all taxes are bad for working families. But then I very much believe he doesn’t think that all taxes are bad. Indeed I suspect he uses the thought of

Unemployment. Not caused by what you think it is.

Published on 2011-01-03 14:22:00

In another post inspired by the chaps at Hagley Road to Ladywood, I take issue with Claude's characterisation of the Tories as heartlessly stoking unemployment for political gain. This annoys me for several reasons, not least the idea that Tories enj

Presumed Consent

Published on 2011-01-02 15:15:00

Longrider has an interesting post on the idea that it should be presumed that you submit your organs to be harvested after your death for transplants, unless you opt out.This "Presumed consent" will save thousands of lives by enabling many more organ