Shock news - Bush is stupid!
The general gist of this article from Raw Story via a former US ambassador (what is this with me posting about ambassadors today???) about the sheer ignorance of Dubyah and his cabinet will not surprise many as few people, even those better disposed to him than I, consider him to be much of an intellectual. However it does underline that utter disregard Bush and his cronies have for doing any preparation or research (or having someone to do it for them then summarise it in simple Pfuffin picture book format for him to read) before committing to long-term courses of action. Ignorance really is deadly (although unfortunately in this case only to many Iraqis and many US, UK and other service personnel, not to the idiot who made the ill-informed decision in between golf and flipping burgers). (via Anthony - the Shooting War writer - at his GNN blog).
Saturday, August 5, 2006
More cartoon controversy
In two seperate but related incidents political cartoons have again been creating controversy, although thankfully not on the ridiculous scale of the Danish ones about the Prophet as both have caused reactions through courts and complaints committees rather than numpties on the street demanding beheadings.
In one case the Israeli ambassador to Norway has filed a complaint with the press body over a cartoon there which used imagery from the Holocaust to suggest that the Israeli government treats Palestinians in a manner similar to the way the Nazis treated Jews. Understandably this is a sensitive area for any Jewish person and I can understand them being upset about it and it is good that they simply filed a press complaint instead of organising a burning of the local embassy. However it is the role of political, satirical cartoonists to use their art to draw attention to events and people, not to make the subjects of the cartoon happy.
And while I despise the suicide bombings and other dreadful events the Israelis have had to endure if I were them I wouldn't want to draw attention to this since their treatment of Palestinians has indeed been rather poor, creating ghetto areas and effectively making them untermenschen in their own land - to someone who is familiar with the history of Germany during the first half of the last century there are indeed some uncomfortable parallels. In some ways it is like the state version of the individual who is bullied or abused as a youngster and then grows up to be a bully or an abuser in turn but seems unable to recognise themselves this way, still portraying themselves as eternal victims. Their cavalier attitude to the massive civilian death toll they are causing in Lebanon confirms this blinkered approach and alas, it is one which far from securing Israel and defeating a terrorist organisation is simply spreading more death on both sides (neither of which seems to give a damn about the civilians caught in the middle - I'm not taking sides here, both lots are bloody idiots).
Earlier in the week the Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoga is taking another cartoonist to court for portraying him as a tick (a tick infestation has caused problems in the country recently, so it is a double visual joke for Turkish readers). This is the fourth time this eejit has taken a cartoonist to court over their jibes at him, although thankfully all the previous cases were dismissed. From this we can infer that Erdoga is a bit of a vain, control freak with no sense of humour - what political observers refer to as an 'areshole' I believe. It also shows a complete disregard once more for the freedom of expression and free and open political debate in a supposedly democratic country. Coming on the back of events I blogged about a few months back where Turkey was attempting to criminalise the latest in a line of writers who dared to comment negatively about the government (this equates to defaming the nation in Turkey apparently, a criminal offence) it is unlikely to improve Turkey's chances of joining the EU which they are desperate to do.
Many EU politicians are wary of admitting them because they have often proven to be remarkably un-democratic through actions exactly like this, not to mention having had more human rights abuses of all sorts levelled against them than the rest of the EU nations put together, so you'd think perhaps the PM, no matter how personally pissed off he is, would be pragmattic about it, pretend it is no big deal and laugh about it, but nope.
Funny how often a lack of sense of humour and an attempt to restrict the freedoms of others goes together isn't it? I've found my sense of humour often gets me into trouble (although last year was the worst version of that) over the years and frankly, although I can be a little OTT (I see a line I just have to cross it, that's what it is there for!) I think this is more to do with certain types of people (often the types who end up in positions of authority such as teachers, managers, politicians - you know, people who like being able to boss others around) simply having no sense of humour themselves and also being rather vain and full of their own sense of self-importance (hey, I poke fun at them, but I also poke fun at myself pretty often).
In two seperate but related incidents political cartoons have again been creating controversy, although thankfully not on the ridiculous scale of the Danish ones about the Prophet as both have caused reactions through courts and complaints committees rather than numpties on the street demanding beheadings.
In one case the Israeli ambassador to Norway has filed a complaint with the press body over a cartoon there which used imagery from the Holocaust to suggest that the Israeli government treats Palestinians in a manner similar to the way the Nazis treated Jews. Understandably this is a sensitive area for any Jewish person and I can understand them being upset about it and it is good that they simply filed a press complaint instead of organising a burning of the local embassy. However it is the role of political, satirical cartoonists to use their art to draw attention to events and people, not to make the subjects of the cartoon happy.
And while I despise the suicide bombings and other dreadful events the Israelis have had to endure if I were them I wouldn't want to draw attention to this since their treatment of Palestinians has indeed been rather poor, creating ghetto areas and effectively making them untermenschen in their own land - to someone who is familiar with the history of Germany during the first half of the last century there are indeed some uncomfortable parallels. In some ways it is like the state version of the individual who is bullied or abused as a youngster and then grows up to be a bully or an abuser in turn but seems unable to recognise themselves this way, still portraying themselves as eternal victims. Their cavalier attitude to the massive civilian death toll they are causing in Lebanon confirms this blinkered approach and alas, it is one which far from securing Israel and defeating a terrorist organisation is simply spreading more death on both sides (neither of which seems to give a damn about the civilians caught in the middle - I'm not taking sides here, both lots are bloody idiots).
Earlier in the week the Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoga is taking another cartoonist to court for portraying him as a tick (a tick infestation has caused problems in the country recently, so it is a double visual joke for Turkish readers). This is the fourth time this eejit has taken a cartoonist to court over their jibes at him, although thankfully all the previous cases were dismissed. From this we can infer that Erdoga is a bit of a vain, control freak with no sense of humour - what political observers refer to as an 'areshole' I believe. It also shows a complete disregard once more for the freedom of expression and free and open political debate in a supposedly democratic country. Coming on the back of events I blogged about a few months back where Turkey was attempting to criminalise the latest in a line of writers who dared to comment negatively about the government (this equates to defaming the nation in Turkey apparently, a criminal offence) it is unlikely to improve Turkey's chances of joining the EU which they are desperate to do.
Many EU politicians are wary of admitting them because they have often proven to be remarkably un-democratic through actions exactly like this, not to mention having had more human rights abuses of all sorts levelled against them than the rest of the EU nations put together, so you'd think perhaps the PM, no matter how personally pissed off he is, would be pragmattic about it, pretend it is no big deal and laugh about it, but nope.
Funny how often a lack of sense of humour and an attempt to restrict the freedoms of others goes together isn't it? I've found my sense of humour often gets me into trouble (although last year was the worst version of that) over the years and frankly, although I can be a little OTT (I see a line I just have to cross it, that's what it is there for!) I think this is more to do with certain types of people (often the types who end up in positions of authority such as teachers, managers, politicians - you know, people who like being able to boss others around) simply having no sense of humour themselves and also being rather vain and full of their own sense of self-importance (hey, I poke fun at them, but I also poke fun at myself pretty often).
Wednesday, August 2, 2006
Those pesky kids
This story is laughable - the heavy handed plod grab some youngsters who climbed a tree with a view to making a treehouse. Marched back to the police station they had their shoes taken off, DNA samples taken and were locked up in cells before finally being released withou charge. Under the rules the police got from pushover politicians they can and will hold on to the children's DNA samples for five years even although they were not charged.
Except it isn't really laughable, is it? It tends to reinforce my heavy suspicions of the police and certain politicians demands for more DNA testing and a national database, which, coupled with biometric ID cards, CCTV and easier access to personal records and little public accountability is quite scary. Already hundreds of thousands (including many under 16s) have their DNA held by police databases in the UK even thought they are innocent. Get stopped for anything and have a swab taken and the Judges... Sorry, thought I was in Mega City 1 for a moment, I mean police can hold that data for years and there is sod all a citizen can do about it. Parliament has resisted police and government pressure from Blair's Junta to bring in a national DNA database, so instead they are making one by the back door.
Since we've seen that the police can get away with shooting an innocent person dead with little problem and their chief gets little more than a knuckle rap for delaying the investigation into that case you have to ask, do you trust the police or the polticians with more power? If they are this heavy handed with kids playing near their homes what will they be like with adults? What will they be like with adults who look 'Middle Eastern'? Of course most coppers wouldn't be this daft but the fact is some do enjoy the power and there are too many members of the government all too willing to give away more of our civil liberties (my own MP among them) with the usual tired defence of 'if you have done nothing wrong then you have nothing to fear.' Yeah, cause police and governments never abuse their power, harass innocent people or even fit them up (remember the Guilford 'bombers' who basically got framed by the cops who couldn't catch the real IRA bombers and so picked up any Irishmen they could?).
And if you oppose these increases in intrusion into our lives and freedoms then obviously you must have something to hide, a weak and anti-intellectual argument brought to you by the same simple minded morons who brought you the "you're with us or against us" model of civilised debate. How odd that the world of V For Vendetta comes closer to reality with a Labour prime minister than it did even under Thatcher. What a fine legacy Blair is going to leave the UK.
This story is laughable - the heavy handed plod grab some youngsters who climbed a tree with a view to making a treehouse. Marched back to the police station they had their shoes taken off, DNA samples taken and were locked up in cells before finally being released withou charge. Under the rules the police got from pushover politicians they can and will hold on to the children's DNA samples for five years even although they were not charged.
Except it isn't really laughable, is it? It tends to reinforce my heavy suspicions of the police and certain politicians demands for more DNA testing and a national database, which, coupled with biometric ID cards, CCTV and easier access to personal records and little public accountability is quite scary. Already hundreds of thousands (including many under 16s) have their DNA held by police databases in the UK even thought they are innocent. Get stopped for anything and have a swab taken and the Judges... Sorry, thought I was in Mega City 1 for a moment, I mean police can hold that data for years and there is sod all a citizen can do about it. Parliament has resisted police and government pressure from Blair's Junta to bring in a national DNA database, so instead they are making one by the back door.
Since we've seen that the police can get away with shooting an innocent person dead with little problem and their chief gets little more than a knuckle rap for delaying the investigation into that case you have to ask, do you trust the police or the polticians with more power? If they are this heavy handed with kids playing near their homes what will they be like with adults? What will they be like with adults who look 'Middle Eastern'? Of course most coppers wouldn't be this daft but the fact is some do enjoy the power and there are too many members of the government all too willing to give away more of our civil liberties (my own MP among them) with the usual tired defence of 'if you have done nothing wrong then you have nothing to fear.' Yeah, cause police and governments never abuse their power, harass innocent people or even fit them up (remember the Guilford 'bombers' who basically got framed by the cops who couldn't catch the real IRA bombers and so picked up any Irishmen they could?).
And if you oppose these increases in intrusion into our lives and freedoms then obviously you must have something to hide, a weak and anti-intellectual argument brought to you by the same simple minded morons who brought you the "you're with us or against us" model of civilised debate. How odd that the world of V For Vendetta comes closer to reality with a Labour prime minister than it did even under Thatcher. What a fine legacy Blair is going to leave the UK.
Penultimate Shooting War
Artist Dan Goldman dropped me a line at work to say the penultimate (tenth) chapter of the excellent Shooting War webcomic is now up (with naughty sex scenes which Dan was happy to get into and also a cameo from a venerable US reporter). Set a few years in the future and following a video blogger turned journalist for an unscrupulous global media empire in Iraq I've found Anthony and Dan's work to be powerful and excellent. Dan sometimes uses real Baghdad street photographs as backgrounds for the art while Anthony's background as a journalist who has actually been out there covering events in Iraq adds some authenticity to the narrative. And they boys told me a few days back that they have now secured a deal for a physical print edition due around autumn of 2007.
The online version on Smithmag will account for about a third of the print version as they are now free to rework and expand the story, setting and characters and I can't wait to see what they do with it. I've been recommending Shooting War to everyone and I am so chuffed for the guys that they go this deal - always nice to see good work getting a deal and I'm looking forward to listing it on the FPI site when it comes out. Meantime the second to last episode of the web version awaits and if you haven't been following it, the previous episodes are still up and I really do recommend them. You can also find out more in this piece the writer Anthony posted for the FPI blog.
Artist Dan Goldman dropped me a line at work to say the penultimate (tenth) chapter of the excellent Shooting War webcomic is now up (with naughty sex scenes which Dan was happy to get into and also a cameo from a venerable US reporter). Set a few years in the future and following a video blogger turned journalist for an unscrupulous global media empire in Iraq I've found Anthony and Dan's work to be powerful and excellent. Dan sometimes uses real Baghdad street photographs as backgrounds for the art while Anthony's background as a journalist who has actually been out there covering events in Iraq adds some authenticity to the narrative. And they boys told me a few days back that they have now secured a deal for a physical print edition due around autumn of 2007.
The online version on Smithmag will account for about a third of the print version as they are now free to rework and expand the story, setting and characters and I can't wait to see what they do with it. I've been recommending Shooting War to everyone and I am so chuffed for the guys that they go this deal - always nice to see good work getting a deal and I'm looking forward to listing it on the FPI site when it comes out. Meantime the second to last episode of the web version awaits and if you haven't been following it, the previous episodes are still up and I really do recommend them. You can also find out more in this piece the writer Anthony posted for the FPI blog.
Tuesday, August 1, 2006
Adrock, you're it
Since Paul tagged me to do this, here it is and I hereby pass the curse on to Adrock, who will set his answers to some dodgy 'lost' dance classics no doubt:
5 Things In My Freezer
Lots of ice cubes - been so hot even the cats need them in their water dish. Now worried they will start demanding straws next, then they will dispense with water in favour of Baileys on ice.
Veggie bacon - very yummy, bugger all fat, no dead piggy.
Bottle of vodka
Cadbury's Dairy Milk Ice Cream (not for long)
Assorted dismembered body parts (always store your body parts on the lower freezer shelf, people, remember your basic food hygeine)
5 Things In My Car
I live in the middle of Edinburgh, a car is utterly bloody pointless here. 5 things in my bus to work though would include
The Driver
Me
My bag
Other passengers (they ride under glass, you know)
Obligatory old lady who looks a bit like Yoda but makes even less sense.
5 Things In My Purse!!! (PURSE!!!)
Okay, cars, purses, getting the impression this thing is a little skewed a certain way. Will my manly yet stylish Penguin Publishers bag blagged from a kindly book rep do?
Flash memory stick
MP3 player
Digital Camera
New Arabian Nights tales by Robert Louis Stevenson
Battered and dog-eared Film Festival programme (see the earlier post on Film Festing)
5 Things In My Closet
Actually it is a wardrobe, does that count?
Clothes, with assorted bits of cat fur stuck to them like Velcro
One of my many candle stashes
White 'Casablanca' style dinner jacket
The fancy patent leather shoes to go with aforementioned DJ, just in case I ever need to stand in for Rick in Casablanca. I rarely do, but you never know. For similar reasons I keep a copy of the Marseilles handy in case I need to drown out some rowdy Nazis.
5.7 deceased moths
There we go ... now its Adrock's turn.
Since Paul tagged me to do this, here it is and I hereby pass the curse on to Adrock, who will set his answers to some dodgy 'lost' dance classics no doubt:
5 Things In My Freezer
Lots of ice cubes - been so hot even the cats need them in their water dish. Now worried they will start demanding straws next, then they will dispense with water in favour of Baileys on ice.
Veggie bacon - very yummy, bugger all fat, no dead piggy.
Bottle of vodka
Cadbury's Dairy Milk Ice Cream (not for long)
Assorted dismembered body parts (always store your body parts on the lower freezer shelf, people, remember your basic food hygeine)
5 Things In My Car
I live in the middle of Edinburgh, a car is utterly bloody pointless here. 5 things in my bus to work though would include
The Driver
Me
My bag
Other passengers (they ride under glass, you know)
Obligatory old lady who looks a bit like Yoda but makes even less sense.
5 Things In My Purse!!! (PURSE!!!)
Okay, cars, purses, getting the impression this thing is a little skewed a certain way. Will my manly yet stylish Penguin Publishers bag blagged from a kindly book rep do?
Flash memory stick
MP3 player
Digital Camera
New Arabian Nights tales by Robert Louis Stevenson
Battered and dog-eared Film Festival programme (see the earlier post on Film Festing)
5 Things In My Closet
Actually it is a wardrobe, does that count?
Clothes, with assorted bits of cat fur stuck to them like Velcro
One of my many candle stashes
White 'Casablanca' style dinner jacket
The fancy patent leather shoes to go with aforementioned DJ, just in case I ever need to stand in for Rick in Casablanca. I rarely do, but you never know. For similar reasons I keep a copy of the Marseilles handy in case I need to drown out some rowdy Nazis.
5.7 deceased moths
There we go ... now its Adrock's turn.
Ouchie
Somehow I've done something to my back over the weekend. One minute it is fine, Gordon and I are walking miles along the beaches while Bruce and his gangly greyhound legs gallop ahead of us. Then a little later a twinge. A little later serious owwwwww followed by JESUSCHRISTONABATTLESHIPBRIDGEMAKEITSTOP! Buggered if I know how I pulled a muscle (and didn't notice in a walk of several miles) but its damned sore and since it is down at the base of the spine it is almost literally a pin in the arse. There's nothing like taking five minutes just to get your shoes on and laced because you can't bend your back right to teach you not to take your spine for granted. Why can't we just spray WD40 on backbones and muscles as well as mechanical components to fix everything? Requests to be given a petite Filippino gal to massage my back regularly on the NHS have been denied. It's an outrage. It is also an inrage.
Then again, perhaps it isn't a pulled muscle, perhaps those sneaky Israeli's have hit my lower spine in a surgical strike after mistaking my magnificent Celtic arse for a rocket launcher.
Somehow I've done something to my back over the weekend. One minute it is fine, Gordon and I are walking miles along the beaches while Bruce and his gangly greyhound legs gallop ahead of us. Then a little later a twinge. A little later serious owwwwww followed by JESUSCHRISTONABATTLESHIPBRIDGEMAKEITSTOP! Buggered if I know how I pulled a muscle (and didn't notice in a walk of several miles) but its damned sore and since it is down at the base of the spine it is almost literally a pin in the arse. There's nothing like taking five minutes just to get your shoes on and laced because you can't bend your back right to teach you not to take your spine for granted. Why can't we just spray WD40 on backbones and muscles as well as mechanical components to fix everything? Requests to be given a petite Filippino gal to massage my back regularly on the NHS have been denied. It's an outrage. It is also an inrage.
Then again, perhaps it isn't a pulled muscle, perhaps those sneaky Israeli's have hit my lower spine in a surgical strike after mistaking my magnificent Celtic arse for a rocket launcher.
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