Cheers

Labour party chairman Hazel Blears via a BBC headline:

Britons 'not ready to drink less'

I'm no fan of Britain's yob culture that thinks that the only way to have a good time is to drink until you throw up and pass out (and not necessarily in that order), but given that this story is about the failure of New Labour to impose a "European drinking culture" on the country with all the consideration that Dr. Pavlov gave to his dogs, I think I shall race my glass.

Learn Something New Everyday

From the Telegraph:

Scientists working for the US Air Force have already produced T-shirts and underwear that can be worn for weeks at a time without washing, and the technology has now been licensed to a London company, Alexium, to develop for civilian applications.

You mean you weren't supposed to wear them that long before? That explains a lot.

Where Reality is a Distant Land

Not everyone is ecstatic about Saddam's departure, as "wilbur" over at Daily Kos demonstrates in the most lurid of prose.

We destroyed Saddam Hussein’s history. We went in to his village, his tribe, and we wiped away the footsteps of his lineage. We made sure that Saddam Hussein knows that everything about him, who he was, where he came from has ended. We turned him around and made him watch his footsteps in the sand, watch them disappear as the ocean washed over them. As a man who has reached middle age I feel an emptiness inside of me when I think of this – to watch yourself slowly disappear. It was an insane, almost psychotic cruelty. It was my society that not only did this, but cheered this – we were beating a dog over and over again because he bit us, making him yelp, humiliating him so he no longer had an identity, so that he was an empty shell. And when we knew he was an empty shell, we kept beating, our eyes on fire, snot dripping from our nose, wheezing under the strain of our constant blows. The dog had bitten somebody – he must be made to pay. Nobody regrets what we are doing – because he was a junkyard dog who attacked others.

It isn't often that one comes across such a mind-boggling disconnect from anything resembling facts, history, commonsense or even basic decency. It should be cast in Lucite and preserved for all time as the purest strain of moral relativism

Sara Jane Smith: Leather Babe

Elizabeth Sladen has said that she hopes that her costumes will have a bit more of a "leather look" for her new children's series, The Sarah Jane Adventures.

Given that Ms Sladen is 58, albeit remarkably preserved, this might have to go back to committee.

Justice Served

Saddam Hussein Hanged

Now approaching room temperature.

Saddam Hussein, former president of Iraq and infamous mass murderer, was executed at 6 AM Baghdad time.

I've had to deal with the smell of that dictator from varying proximity for over a quarter of a century ever since I started doing archaeological excavations in the Middle East. I have seen first hand the effects of his actions and the lives of friends and acquaintances have been affected, damaged, and even lost due to his evil. On my wall is a union jack from the First Gulf War and I've been following the second closely ever since it became the main front in the war against the Jihadists, so I was particularly keen to see this outcome.

However, It isn't because of any personal animosity that I hold for the monster that I am so openly pleased at this moment. I have very few truly driving passions in my life, but one of them is a deep-seated loathing of tyranny that makes me literally cheer when one is brought to task for his crimes. Any time a murdering tyrant does a Ceausescu I am absolutely delighted just as I am disappointed every time a Stalin dies in bed.

It doesn't happen often enough, but when it does, I have hope for the future of our sorry planet.

My wife reminds me that saying such things as Saddam now being three inches taller and wears a size six collar is unchristian. Therefore, I shall finish by saying that Saddam has now gone to meet his Maker and may God have mercy on his soul.

The Last Saddam Update?

Now it looks as though Saddam is going to be executed early Saturday morning Baghdad time-- which means it could happen any moment.

Stay tuned.

Update: Official: Saddam hangs by 6 AM Baghdad time.

Set the Tivo.

It Only Took Fifty-Six Years

Britain is about to make its last payments on its war loans from the United States and Canada.

It was the finance charges that were the killer.

Saddam's Last WeekEnd

According to sources, Saddam Hussein, one of the bloodiest dictators of that bloodiest of centuries, is to hang on Sunday.

I'll bring the popcorn.

Eternal Mysteries

In case you're wondering, here is why German toads explode.

Now all you have to wonder about is why the deuce you wonder why German toads explode.

Eternal Mysteries

In case you're wondering, here is why German toads explode.

Now all you have to wonder about is why the deuce you wonder why German toads explode.

Somali Jihadists Routed

It's a sad day when Ethiopia has to show the West how to deal with Islamofascists.

Double Dhimmi Standards

In a mind-blowing expression of bare-faced gall, Spain's Islamic Board demanded the right to conduct Muslim prayers in Cordoba cathedral, which was a mosque before being converted to a cathedral in the 13th century.

Quite rightly, the Catholic church told the Muslim board what it could do with its demands, but it is a clear sign of what we face given the fact that this comes only a few weeks after Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul nearly set off a powder keg over speculation that he would dare do anything so vile as to make the sign of the cross in the vicinity. According to the Turkish paper Vatan,

The risk is that Benedict will send Turkey's Muslims and much of the Islamic world into paroxysms of fury if there is any perception that the Pope is trying to re-appropriate a Christian center that fell to Muslims.

It looks as though re-appropriation is a one-way street.

Quote of the Day

If that many British Muslims turned out to protest interference with their customs, the Blair government would be bending over backward to please them.

Instapundit on the 300,000 people who turned out for foxhunting on Boxing Day in defiance of the government's ban.

Saddam to Hang

Saddam Hussein has lost his appeal and will hang within the next thirty days.

It's a shame they can only do it once.

Happy Christmas from Ephemeral Isle

Happy Christmas and goodwill to men.

Back on the 27^th.

Wanted: Copy Editor

From the BBC (emphasis added):

A series of heavy gunbattles between Hamas and Fatah militants broke out in Gaza City early Friday, despite a two-day-old truce that had largely ended factional violence here.

Self contradiction; it's a wonderful thing.

Robodeer

Used to catch poachers, Sarah Connor.

First Catch Your AI

Should robots have rights? According to Henrik Christensen, director of the Centre of Robotics and Intelligent Machines at the Georgia Institute of Technology,

If we make conscious robots they would want to have rights and they probably should.

To paraphrase an old Spartan reply, "If."

Killing the Golden Goose

The British armed forces are fighting two wars and are valiantly engaged in missions all over the globe, so how does HMG reward them?

Why, by cutting £1 billion from the defence budget, of course!

Kilt Shortage

It's hard times in the Scottish regiments as soliders are forced to share kilts. In Afghanistan, there's only one for every fifteen men.

British Army sources describe the situation as "chilly."

Undercover

From the Telegraph:

A Somali asylum seeker wanted for the murder of WPc Sharon Beshenivsky is believed to have fled Britain dressed as a woman wearing a Muslim niqab, which covers the whole face apart from the eyes.

The niqab is an icon of versatility; it's not only oppresive, but it makes a great getaway disguise for man or woman!

Wind Storm Update

They're still trying to restore power to the outlying areas and the Woodinville-Duval Road has been completely closed as the debris is cleared away and the lines repaired. However, the biggest problem at the moment is people dying of carbon monoxide poisoning in record numbers by doing brilliant things like running a generator in their basement or firing up a charcoal grill in the kitchen.

We're expecting a common sense air drop any day now.

Theatre News

In a welcome bit of news, Seattle's Theatre Schmeater has picked by my wife and I's adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's The Reluctant Dragon for it's summer park show next season.

So, if you're in the area next summer and you're looking for some family entertainment in the great outdoors, this is the play for you.

End of plug.

Dhimmitude, Whether You KNow It or Not

A couple of headlines from the world of creeping dhimmitude.

In Britain, some state schools are serving all children, Muslim and infidel, only halal meat. More than that, it turns out that they've been doing so for years without telling anyone.

That's only infuriating. In Norway, it gets downright scary when Unni Wikan, a professor of social anthropology at the University of Oslo, reacted to Oslo's skyrocketing rape cases perpetrated by Muslim immigrant men in this way (emphasis added):

“Norwegian women must take their share of responsibility for these rapes” because Muslim men found their manner of dress provocative. The professor’s conclusion was not that Muslim men living in the West needed to adjust to Western norms, but the exact opposite: “Norwegian women must realize that we live in a Multicultural society and adapt themselves to it.”

Dear God, it's beyond parody!

Wind Storm Update

It's been days since the storm hit, but we're still literally cutting our way out. Even though the power is back on and stable on our road, I can still hear generators banging away in the distance and whole towns are still without power. Last night, I drove through Carnation and Duval and all they would have needed was a few shambling zombies to make for a good George Romero film.

The Woodinville-Duval Road is still a nightmare of downed power lines and trees, though this isn't the general picture. I had to drive up to Smoky Point, which is about forty miles north of here and aside from the odd branch and swayed sapling, things look fairly normal.

The biggest problem is frost, which we've had two nights of. That isn't so much of a problem out here, where everyone has a fireplace or wood stove, but in town I imagine quite a few condo dwellers have dark things to say about the 21st century.

Still, things are on the mend, so it looks as though I shan't need to reorganise Chez Szondy into a last bastion of civilisation against the darkening night.

Update: In a blast of pollution past, there's an inversion layer over the area and with so many fireplaces and stoves being pressed into service for heat, most of the mountain and the entire valley below us is covered with a pall of wood smoke.

Not sure if it's unhealthy, but I'm told it's quite fragrant.

Christmas Unveiled

The Muslim woman pegged to deliver Channel Four's "alternative" Christmas message in full veil has withdrawn (emphasis added).

In a statement, she said that it was the unexpected publicity around her decision that made her change her mind.

But a source close to the programme makers said one of the reasons was that she had been pressurised by senior members of the community who felt it was not her place to talk about Islam. It has also been said that she had received threatening letters from non-Muslims accusing her of trying to upstage the Queen.

Pass the eggnog, please.

End of an Era

- .... . / ..-. -.-. -.-. / .... .- ... / .-. . -- --- ...- . -.. / - .... . / -- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. . / .-. . --.- ..- .. .-. . -- . -. - / ..-. --- .-. / .-.. .. -.-. . -. -.-. . ... .-.-.-

Aftermath

Chez Szondy came off very lucky after last night's wind storm. I thought the damage was pretty bad when I saw part of a neighbour's roof come off and a couple of dozen trees down along the road, but after the power came back on, we decided to go into town to deal with a few errands. What we found was what looked as if a drunken giant had gone a spree.

Down in the valley, a whole stand of trees looked like a flattened field of corn. Along the Woodinville-Duval Road, so many pine trees had crashed along the road that the work crews had done little more than cut a winding path through the wreckage; leaving motorists to dodge stumps, low-lying branches, and strewn power lines. Beyond that, about a million people were without electricity-- which isn't in any way surprising.

We did not get to town.

Power On

The power has come back on and Chez Szondy has returned to the 21^st century-- which is a relief, because if the electricity remained out until this afternoon we would have had the mother of all spontaneous barbecues to deal with a fridge full of warming meat.

Things haven't returned completely to normal, though. The wind storm that caused the failure knocked down trees all over the place, including several straight across our road.

And then there is the worst casualty of the episode; my nerves. Ever try to manage a brew up on a camp stove with one ear to the emergency shortwave while dealing with a four-year old without television to nail her down?

Not a pretty sight.

Spiffing!

The power just went out at Chez Szondy, but, fortunately, the laptop and dialup connection is still going-- for now.

Roboshark

The US military is working on ways to convert sharks to remote control.

Now if we can just put frikkin' lasers in their heads we'll have the set.

Only in Japan

Apparently, in Japan you can pay someone to wake you up by vacuuming your face, shoving wasabi up your nose or drizzling hot wax on you.

You pay for this, remember.

Bond 22

The rumour is that the next James Bond film will based on Ian Fleming's short story "Risico".

It's a good job they found an unadapted story, otherwise they'd have been making a film out of the copyright notices.

I Hope to God "Hug" Isn't a Euphemism

This is just what the world has been waiting for; a shirt in truly appalling taste that can send and receive hugs.

Marvellous. Now I can look forward to being molested by my clothing.

Preemptive Policing

From ShortNews.com:

Commander Dave Johnston, Britain's most senior murder investigator, has suggested that DNA should be taken from infants and put in a database in order to solve future crimes.

Bravo. Now all the government needs is to simply make being born a crime and the circle will be complete.

Slow Day

We've got guests at Chez Szondy, so entries will be a little light for the next couple of days.

Yuletide Dhimmitude

From Reuters (emphasis added):

A school in traditionally Catholic Spain has cancelled Christmas celebrations so as not to offend children who are not Christians, ABC newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The Hilarion Gimeno school in Zaragoza said teachers had put forward various reasons for not celebrating Christmas, but ABC said the worry was that Muslim children might be upset.

Where is El Cid when you need him?

World's Smallest Violin

It gnaws at the people in the Middle East that such a small country as Israel, with only about 7 million inhabitants, can defeat the Arab nation with its 350 million.

Ahmed Sheikh, Al-Jazeera Editor-in-Chief

Poor Didums!

Kipper Ties at Half Mast

Open University broadcasts are to end after thirty years of keeping people riveted with enthralling lectures on parl;kjuif'ap;otsrjfk'ag[;llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Happy Whatever

Seatac airport in Seattle is removing its Christmas trees after receiving ONE complaint.

For sale: One backbone. Hardly used.

Moonbase of Moondoggle?

This article by Gregg Easterbrook in Slate is a bit too cynical for my tastes, but it does raise the important question of whether the proposed US moonbase would, like the International Space Station, end up being built merely to justify its own existence.

RAF Nimrod Crew Use Teapot to Plug Hole

Tea: Is there nothing it can't do?

Doc Savage and the Evil-Minded Parishoners

Do Monk, Ham and the others know about this?

Integrate or Stay Away

Tony Blair has declared that Britain's misbegotten experiment in multiculuralism is now officially over:

If you come here lawfully, we welcome you. If you are permitted to stay here permanently, you become an equal member of our community and become one of us. The right to be different. The duty to integrate. That is what being British means.

This is a vital step in this war. Now let's see if the Mr. Blair backs it up with equally tough action.

Missing Piece of the Puzzle

The BBC reports that a man, Derrick Shareef, 22, has been arrested for planning to carry out "violent Jihad" by attacking a shopping centre in Illinois with hand grenade.

Not surprisingly, the Beeb leaves out one tiny detail in the story. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I suspect that it may have something to do with his motive.

No Big Thing

BBC headline:

Condoms 'too big' for Indian men

Must... resist... joke.

Another Day in Paradise

An Islamic court has ordered the residents of Bulo Burto, Somailia to pray five times a day or face beheading.

Ah, the joys of sharia law in the hands of Jihadists!

Quote of the Day

(W)hen Muslims beat infidels, it’s just too bad for the latter; they must submit to their new overlords’ rules with all the attendant discrimination and humiliation mandated for non-Muslims. Yet when Islam is beaten, demands for apologies and concessions are expected from the infidel world at large.

Raymond Ibrahim on double standards.

The BBC Discovers Future Past

But not the site!

Damn. I could have blown my bandwidth in fifteen minutes!

A World in Chaos

Having their priorities stuffed firmly up their fundaments, New Zealand is using ice cream vans to run speed traps.

In other developments, police cars will now be used to sell ice cream.

Plane Forced to Land by a Fart

What the blazes was that woman eating?

Wrong End of the Telescope II

How to deal with the bankruptcy of multiculuralism and the need to assimilate exploding immigrant populations? Obviously, reduce the teaching of Christianity in schools in favour of Islam and Hinduism.

Next: How to put out a fire with a can of petrol.

The Other Holy Book is Desecrated

From News.com.au:

Two Muslim students have been expelled from an Islamic school in Melbourne for urinating and spitting on a Bible and setting it on fire.

And this was followed by a notable lack of rioting and murder on the part of Christians around the world. Strangely, Newsweek is remarkably absent as well.

Crazy Cat

From the BBC:

It has long been known cats can suffer from dementia.

Translation, based on common experience:

Cats are demented.

When Sanity Takes a Holiday

In the Blair New World, even a cricket ball in the hands of a 28-year old City accountant is regarded as a lethal weapon.

When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

And a Corn Chicken in a Palm Tree

In an effort to make Christmas more "inclusive", some British schools are going to such "inclusive" lengths as to avoid Christmas celebrations in favour of a "inclusive" "multi-faith" function, dumping the carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas" for a reggae version that replaces partridges with "inclusive" "corn chickens" (whatever the deuce they are) and golden rings with mangoes, and, at Rotherham, removing turkey from the menu to make way for an "inclusive" "Muslim Christmas" (?!?) Halal dinner that is more "integrated".

Modern Britain, where "inclusive" is defined as that which excludes traditional Christians.

Evil Dead Chickens

As if the human variety wasn't scary enough, now we have to deal with the inevitable zombie chicken attack.

Sign of the Times

From the BBC:

A veiled Muslim woman will deliver this year's alternative Christmas speech on Channel 4, the broadcaster has said.

Why is it that the words "snapshot of Britain's future" keep popping into my head?

Update: Also on the BBC, three quarters of British firms have banned Christmas decorations to avoid offending Muslims "staff from other faiths".

Maybe "future" was the wrong word.

Dhimmitude in Sherwood Forest

I haven't seen the new Robin Hood on BBC One and given the fact that Friar Tuck has been replaced by a transvestite woman Muslim scientist, I have no desire to do so.

And I thought that the 1980's Robin of Sherwood New Age version with all its Herne the Hunter nonsense and Clannad soundtrack was a load of rubbish. Come back, Richard Greene, all is forgiven!

Lt. Ellis, Call Your Service.

The United States is planning to establish a base on the Moon.

What the purpose of such a base will be or whether it will be manned by babes in purple wigs has yet to be decided.

Turnering the Stomach

Who wins the Turner prize will be announced on Monday.

One of the entries is literally a pile of rubbish, which is remarkably apt.

Bolton Resigns

John Bolton has resigned as the US temporary envoy to the United Nations.

So ends the one voice of sanity in the mad house.

And Now We Are Three

Good News: New Labour plans to keep the nuclear detterent force. Bad news: It's going to be with three submarines instead of four with only 150 warheads.

To paraphrase Bilbo Baggins, it's a bit thin, like butter spread over too much bread.

Dennis Miller & the Imams

1939 Redux?

Is the Baker report our Munich agreement with the Jihadists?

Still Chilling

In a turn of events that surprises no one, Fidel Castro was unable to attend a military parade in his honour because of his being dead prolonged illness.

What? No Tang?

Last week, the astronauts about the International Space Station had the arduous task of trying out a new "celebratory" menu designed to mark special occassions during long space missions. The menu included:

Main dishes:

• Effiloché de volaille en Parmentier (shredded chicken Parmentier)
• Dos d'espadon façon Riviera (Riviera style swordfish)
• Volaille épicée, sauté de légumes à la Thaï (spicy chicken with stir-fried Thai vegetables)
• Cailles rôties au Madiran (quails roasted in Madrian wine)
• Magret de canard confit, condiment aux câpres (duck breast confit with capers)

Side dishes:

• Carottes de sable au goût d'orange et coriandre (sand carrots with a hint of orange and coriander)
• Céleri rave en délicate purée à la noix de muscade (a light puree of celery with a hint of nutmeg)
• Caponata (tomato, aubergine and olive dip)

Desserts:

• Gâteau de semoule de blé fine aux abricots secs (semolina cake with dried apricots)
• Morceaux de pommes fondantes (apple fondant pieces)
• Far de l'espace Space (a Brittany 'far' tart)
• Rice pudding aux fruits confits (rice pudding with candied fruit)

This would be impressive, if it hadn't all come in tins

Double Standard

Hezbollah refuses to recognise the Lebanese government, telling it to hand over power or else.

Strangely, NBC does not call this civil war.

In the Tray

A new video production from Creative Electrical Outlet featuring the famous Emma's godparents, Amy Walton & Glen Hamilton; two of the finest actors ever to have migrated from Seattle to LA.