Pretty scary stuff

Courtesy of the Las Vegas Sun footage of some of the love filled people leaving a Ramb-ette rally.

In which I explain why I am not proud to be an American

Because it is now becoming clear that, with absolute certainty, both the US military and the US "intelligence" community have engaged in systematic, intentional and highly managed horrific abuse of prisoners and detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan, Cuba and places unnamed. We have finally lost any remaining moral authority we may have had. These are crimes against humanity and someone, hopefully several someones, high up needs to pay and pay dearly.

Key quote: "If the detainee dies, you're doing it wrong".

I thought I might share this with you

Yesterday's Independent on Sunday carried an opinion piece by Sarah Churchwell about Barack Obama and his chances for victory in November. It is thoughtful and well worth a read but I don't mention it for that. I mention it because the following quote highlights the much more sensible policies of all of the major British papers towards the use of obscenity in print. Ms. Churchwell, in discussing Senator McCain's character has the following to say:

"I would put nothing past a man who, it has been alleged and not denied, has called his own wife a cunt."

The use of the justifiably reviled "C" word in this case is not gratuitous. How can one possibly discuss the (alleged) incident without using the word? The American press would simply report, had they not already chosen to ignore the accusation, that "McCain cursed his wife" or "McCain called his wife an expletive". Neither of those does justice to what may, or may not, have occurred between the two. If it is duty of the press to report then they must report, and report truthfully, including the use of often offensive language when it is necessary and germane to the story.

How Britain is ruining traditional marriage!!

They don't seem to understand that marriage should only be between one man (and another man as best MAN) and one woman (and another woman as bride's maid/matron). No wonder the England football team sucks.

Please forgive me if I start to cry

10% of registered American voters STILL think that Barack Osama Obama is a Muslim. 16% of white evangelical protestants think so.

[Sigh]

1,001 reasons not to give up my US citzenship (at least before 2011)

So I will have a chance to vote against Chris Matthews for US Senate!

Welcome to the theocracy...

...please select the (Judeo-Christian) God of your choice before entering. And I will note the restrained, thoughtful and open minded Illinois legislator Monique Davis is a Democrat.

To think or not to think that is the question

The creation of a fifth freedom in the European Union, a freedom of knowledge, is being put forward in an effort to ensure European competitiveness.

I can only assume that the EU leaders proposing this are frightened of losing out to India and China as they have nothing to fear from the US where freedom from knowledge seems to be the current vogue.

For my American friends

It has been at least seven years since this was last allowed to happen in your country. In case you have forgotten this is what an unmuzzled government scientist sounds like.

Is there no food safe to eat in America anymore?

Now it's Aunt Jemima's pancake mix that has had to be recalled due to salmonella contamination.

The other surprise, for me at least, in this story is that Aunt Jemima's pancake mix is still on the market. Does she still look like this?

And all without a constitution!

The European Court of Justice has prevented Italy from deporting a Tunisian terror suspect to his home country citing an absolute right to protection from torture. I wonder if this can be used to void the one sided US-UK extradition agreement.

Losing our religion

Over 50% of Britons admit to having no religion.

Perhaps the US would be more comfortable finding a more religious nation, perhaps Iran would be a good choice, with which to have its Special Relationship now.

I moved here for the weather. Really.

Whilst my old home suffers from the curse of Punxsutawney Phil it is glorious spring here on Old Blighty. Jealous anyone?

A comment piece unlikely to be sydicated in American newspapers

Today's Guardian features a comment piece by Libby Brooks on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Vagina Monologues. Ms. Brooks laments the lack of an equivelant to "willy" to describe the female genetalia and goes on to say that "[f]anny is too twee, pussy too porny - and cunt remains the most shocking word in the English language".

I do love living in this country.

Across the great water things are a bit different

Whilst America's Federal Communications Commission thinks it is an appropriate use of its time and authority to fine TV stations about 1.5 million USD for a five second shot of a woman's buttocks, which it seems to think is either a sexual or an excretory organ, in the Netherlands they are having a discussion as to whether it is appropriate to screen Deep Throat on public television and the argument centres not on whether actual sex shown be shown on telly, silly question, but rather whether the film is a specific example of the sexual exploitation of women.

And people ask why I live in exile!

Did the members of the FCC fail high school health class?

Apparently they think that the human buttocks is either a sexual or excretory organ and on that basis plan to fine stations that aired an episode of "NYPD Blue" about one and a half million USD. The scene that is so offensive to these poor folks featured the "naked buttocks" of a woman. I'm off to do some research (please assist me if I come up to you on the street) but I'm almost certain that the buttocks is neither sexual (see "vagina" / "penis") or excretory (see "anus") and that in fact I don't think it is even an organ.

What must Americans think when they watch telly in other countries (or is this why they don't seem to leave the country?).

Don't Americans get out of their cars for anything anymore?

I know I have been gone awhile, (I passed the 15 year mark a couple of years ago and I haven't actually been in the states since just before Captain Codpiece's first inauguration), but I don't recall any drive through chemists shops. Perhaps if you got out and walked a bit every now and then less medication might be required.

101 reasons I am glad I am no longer near Philadelphia on New Year's Day

Reasons 1 through 101 (inclusive): the Mummers Parade

Now I confess that, in my twenties, I found actually going to the Mummers Parade a pleasant enough diversion, but that was invariably after staying up all night drinking (and perhaps one or two other things) and that may have clouded my judgement.

What do you know!

Apparently I live in the city with the greatest economic and cultural significance on the planet!

Suck on that New York!

After due consideration

The longer I have had to consider Mitt Romney's speech on his "faith" (which carefully avoided discussing what his "faith" actually entails) the angrier I become. Mr. Romney was careful to state that no religious test should exist for high office but at the same time creating a religious test for citizenship. This is outrageous and must be condemned with the same ferocity that a statement which said that "freedom bars religion and religion bars freedom" would (justifiably) be condemned. Yet for some reason it it not and his campaign refuses to even state that there is a place for non believers in America. It would seem that Mr. Romney would wish to establish a tyranny of the "faithful" over the thoughtful.

That Mr. Romney could make such a bigoted statement without facing complete and total condemnation simply reinforces my decision to live in exile!