They Just Don't Get It

This is the second best story ever showing how all the assorted tyrants, kleptogarchs, presidents for life and Grand High Poobahs that run most of the planet just don't get how western (in the sense of democracy plus free market plus rule of law equals civilisation) societies work. Bush gives Vladimir some minor aggro over lack of freedom of the press in the new Russia and Vladi, obviously carefully but incompetently briefed, starts taking up for Dan Rather.

Great stuff, but even better was the time back about 1998 when some Chinese mandarin asked a US official in all seriousness, "Who owns the Internet?" That one could be apocyphal, but I spent 5 years in China and it certainly has the ring of truth about it.

Free Arash Sigachi

Iranian blogger and freedom frighter Arash Sigachi --remember the name--has been jailed for 14 years for speaking the truth about the Mad Mullahs. Tuesday is a global action day in support of Arash. To arms.

Hunter Thompson, R.I.P

Hunter S. Thompson has left us. He may have been half mad, but he could damn sure write. He had no truck with bozo politicians, pretentious movie stars, or new age psychobabble, and for that we shall all miss him. For those my age, the quote "It was the time of Nixon, it was a time to keep your head down." summed up a decade.

I think I'll have a Jack Daniels, straight up.

Root and Branch

This story shows once again what a deeply corrupt and sleazy organisation the UN has become. Why would anyone trust these clowns with their country? It is high time that the nations which pay most of the bills to start cleaning house. The UN needs complete reformation and the place to start is the bizarre assumption that statehood alone is a sufficient qualification for having a vote. Why should anyone give a toss what Robert Mugabe thinks about anything? Why is Taiwan, with 23 million free souls, a booming economy, the most free press between Delhi and Tokyo and genuine democracy denied even observer status? The Westphalian model of states as the only legal actors in international affairs needs to be consigned to the history books as an idea past its use-by date.

Gee, Thanks Don.

What was he thinking? Maybe he wasn't thinking. Just as the Nats succeed once again in forcing Labour ever so slightly to the right, old Don goes and stuffs it up. Katherine Rich was a star in a party that could use a few. Maybe she'll join ACT. In the meantime we're almost certainly stuck with Nanny Helen for the foreseeable future.

Cold Mountain

Cold Mountain

A few thoughts on the Iraqi election. If I'm not mistaken, this the first free election in any Arab country ever. And, no, don't even think about mentioning those periodic shams where 99.99% turnout and 99.99% of those endorse wholeheartedly what ever Grand Poobah for Life happens to be at the top of he body pile at the moment.

Thw left typically, blew a fuse. Ted "I Sweat Chivas" Kennedy and his sidekick, whatshisname, the other guy from Massachusetts, both stumbled all over themselves trying to disparage the courage of the 60 odd per cent of Iraqi voters who turned out. Think about that percentage..it's a hell of sight better than we ever manage here in Godzone, and we can vote from bed.

Hillary, bless her, may be a little lefty Lenin in waiting, but she is not stupid. You didn't hear Hils dissing the election. Of cousre that all adds up to a republican wet dream for 2008--Hils as candidate and Howard Dean as Demo part chief. It's as if Labour made Tandor Nanczos chairman and ran Margaret Wilson as Party Leader.