How Not Giving A Damn Really Can Cheer You Up

When I was a kid I stood on the playground at school one day watching my friends play football. My teacher came up to me and said "You are looking thoughtful there Jason, what are you thinking?" And I responded with the remarkably cynical "What exactly is the point of football?" My teacher, being also the boy's football coach, just laughed. But that came to mind again recently when someone on Second Life, yes an actual SL player, asked in a group for a particular brand of male body "Why does anyone want a penis on Second Life, there's no point it's not real!" (we weren't actually talking about penises at the time but hey-ho...)

Let's just take a look at that statement right there... someone on a virtual sim (who likely buys virtual clothes and does virtual stuff) thinks that being virtually anatomically correct is pointless? Well I had to take that up. I went for the biggy though, the absurdist argument, of pointing out that eventually the universe will end and thus everything that has ever been done by anyone, no matter how "important", will be rendered completely pointless. I never did get a response to that.

Why am I talking about this? Because of the constant outrage online. Over anything. No matter how pointlessly stupid. Like a churning barrel of water, the tide of outrage surges one way and then the other. Yet it is all so pointless. I've been known to engage in it too, don't think I'm innocent in anyway. My minirants can often be not so mini.

Now, however, I feel quite disconnected from it. I watched the outrage over Logan Paul and felt really pretty cold. Though his arms soon warmed me up.

I'm trying to avoid commenting on news and politics but I feel this take is pretty important... doesn't Logan Paul have nice arms? pic.twitter.com/fIjqNZGFZi

— Jae Kay (@JaeKay) January 2, 2018

And I feel happier for it. Not worrying about what other people say (like our penis-less friend above) is so relaxing. It really is quite good. I took a social media break last year and that made me feel pretty damn happy but this whole "nothing really matters" approach is working out even better after just a couple of days.

Of course stuff does matter, biologically and culturally humans have to care about stuff as that is how we're made, but not worrying and not considering my views to be important enough to share anywhere but with you, Dear Constant Reader,  is the way forward I think.

Now back to Second Life... I've got a scavenger hunt to complete (I'm wearing clothes so my penis isn't attached, you'll be pleased to know...)

I'm Not Proud To Be Gay: I'm Ecstatic

I may no longer attend pride parades but that doesn't mean I still don't annoy my better half with my constant obsession with all news and affairs which are little bit gay. And I thought it was time to remember why I feel the need to obsess over them... because if I'm not putting my views of things out there then, as sure as summer follows spring, some other gay guy out there will be putting his view across and passing it off as everyone else's.

There are so many self-hating queers out there. Yes I used the q-word, but I think it's far more all encompassing than any other and is far more interesting a word than using "LGBT". I know, I've alienated half my readers already, but that's the other group driving me mad these days "The PC Queers". But I'll get to them in a moment.

Firstly we have the recent Brian Sewell incident where that self-hater, who has described attraction to the same sex as an "affliction", said Coronation Street had gotten "too gay" (4 characters out of 60 regulars is "too gay"?). Of course the Daily Mail loves gay, or in this case bisexual, men who hate. Just look at their love in with Andrew Pierce (see what I've written on him in the past here). These folks are conservative True Believers who will happily join forces with Satan himself if they felt it would advance their political agenda. They've sold themselves out, and would have no trouble selling us all out. This is why I remain ever careful about newly out Tory politicians, like Nigel Evans, because their past actions have shown them for what they truly are... self-haters. Self-hate leads to real hate which leads to the Dark Side. Or something like that.

Which brings us to the other side of the crazy coin. The PC brigade. Once I thought raging against political correctness was something only the Daily Mail reading, tin-foil hat wearing contingent could get away with. But it's becoming ever more obvious that you really CAN'T say what you want to say in this world. From the banning of the word queer in a LGBT grouping at work, to Scotland's latest cunning plan to ban the word homosexual. Worse are those who fought tooth and nail against East End Pride not because the EDL were behind it but because it might upset some fragile community relations (i.e. piss off some homophobes who just happen to share their leftie agenda).

And then on top of that you have actual homophobes and well-meaning leftie "straight allies" (I use this phrase sarcastically as I think I'd get violent if anyone actually used it in real life) who believe I should be nicer to murderers because people used to not be very nice to homosexuals and the two things are, of course, equivalent.

So I say "not in my name". I'm proud to be gay, queer or homosexual. I'm not disgusting or wrong. And I'm not in need of pity or any more sympathy than you'd give to any other neighbour or friend. My sexuality does not shape my political agenda and my political agenda does not shape my sexuality. I'm a free agent and I damn well wish other gay men would stop speaking for me, because they are about as good at it as Stonewall is at fighting for equal rights.

No excuses, no apologies, and no caveats.

If you feel benevolent and particularly generous, this writer always appreciates things bought for him from his wishlist

How Have You Been?

Dearest Constant Reader, what would I do without you? On Twitter you're judged for tweeting too much, or tweeting too little, or you have even the most vague and innocuous remarks dissected and analysed until one feels quite tired. But not here. I can pretty much write and publish anything I want without controversy or comment (except insults about Simon Hughes or porn pictures of certain celebrities, as we've learnt in the past).

People are miserable old so-and-so's, aren't they? Ironic that I should say that given the reams of misery that fill this little blog of mine... enough tales of depression and low self-esteem to keep a counsellor busy for years. But I'm mellowing with age, my depression's seem few and far between and my low self-esteem is slowly disappearing as I stopped caring what other people think. As Jim often tells me, I'm "growing up".

What have I found since I was last on here...

the Pullman: a delightful little pub off Rendezvous Street. Can't believe I've never been there before but the staff are always very welcoming.
Googies: a bit offbeat, but a nice cafe with good food and the occasional nice thing to look at. The art's good too ;)
Gary and Glenda the Gulls are back... and have three eggs. Jim and I are going to be Uncle's again!
Food is good. Diets are BAD.
American football players may not be rough and tough like rugby players but they have their upsides:

I also stood for election. Cool, huh?

Jim has left for Las Vegas this weekend and my brother and sister are due to arrive any minute. A "fun" week ahead... oh what am I saying... it's EUROVISION week!!

If you feel benevolent and particularly generous, this writer always appreciates things bought for him from his wishlist

Have I Ever Liked Civil Partnerships?

No, I think will be the answer clearly spelt out in my post from the past for today, in honour of the current media rumours of movement on this issue.

Let's see what Past Jae thought of them back in December 2005 (PS reading back, I think I was a little harsh but there is still a small part of me that agrees with Past Jae):

I really don't wish to darken anyone's special day now that civil partnerships are legal. But those who are taking part in civil partnerships are selling themselves, and the rest of the LGBT community, short. They have given up the fight not just for true equality, but also for freedom for everyone (be they gay or straight) from the demands of the "righteous".

We have failed to meet two totally different goals of two quite different parts of our community. One was total equality, to have no difference between gay, straight, trangendered etc; to have full, equal marriage rights not similar to, but the same as, heterosexuals. That we have now not achieved and may not achieve for decades!

The other goal was more radical. It was to change the face of the world, and to free us all from a very self destructive socialisation we fell into around the time of the industrial revolution. This was the mixing up of romantic love and marriage, a mix that really doesn't fit. By selling out to this bizarre and strange mix of marriage (a formerly practical institution) and love (not practical, beautifully aloft) we have enslaved ourselves and abandoned our basic principles.

Somehow today a dream has died, and something wonderful has become dreary.

Link to post here


If you feel benevolent and particularly generous, this writer always appreciates things bought for him from his wishlist

Hitting The Wall

Yesterday Jim woke me up fiendishly early and we headed down to see the family in Kent. We went past the Climate Camp on the way (it is only up the hill from our home admittedly). What they hope to achieve I don't know. When will they learn that they need to persuade the public, not large corporations, about their aims? Don't protest outside Barclays, protest outside a football stadium and ask why those folks keep voting in numpties election after election (if that is what you believe) and try and convince them otherwise.

It was lovely to be out of the city, where there's more grass than tarmac, more trees than lampposts and as many cows as there are people. Jim did his usual duties of fixing everyone's broken computers whilst I amused myself by spoiling Angel cat with ham, making a fuss of Noodle's the dog, feeding the fish and having the latest addition to the menagerie (a Jack Russell puppy called Bella) sleep in my arms.

Home today, via Sainsbury's, Makro and Charlton Reptiles. In the queue at Makro, there was a little upset behind us as some yappy little lady decided to have a go at the guy directly behind us who she felt had pushed in (he was off to the side resting his shopping on a display as it was heavy). I couldn't stand her high pitched, whiny voice so turned around and agreed he had been behind us and was in the correct position in the queue. She did not like this one bit, and continued to moan ("I hate it when people do this" - What prove you were wrong???) but at least stopped abusing the poor man who seemed pleased I'd backed him up, but given he was on his own against her and her husband I felt it was my duty to help him out. I felt quite proud of myself for finally having the balls to stand up for what is right against the self obsessed, ignorant bastards who seem to cause trouble every where you go.

Diet wise... it's 5 weeks today! But I feel like I've hit a wall these last two days. It could be because my brother George decided to sit next to me yesterday eating a Cadbury's Dairy Milk. This would have been alright if he hadn't kept holding it under my nose and then making loud "mmmm"-ing noises as he ate it and stared pointedly at me. Little git. Anyway, I've kept strong but think after 5 weeks it might be time to "treat" myself. Something small, and a one off. We'll see if that helps stem my desperate need for something junk food like.

Finally finished Fast Food Nation: What the All-American Meal is Doing to the World - Eric Schlosser, an excellent breakdown of what bad business practice in corporations is doing to capitalism and allsorts of different ways of life.

This blogger works for nothing but the joy of writing but always appreciates things bought from his wishlist

Day 9482: So Very Tired

I have spent about half a day for each of the last three days in training. After 9 months with the company I've learnt about our values, health and safety and HR Branding (still not so sure on this one). Interesting? Sort of, but it was good to meet allsorts of people from across the organisation, a few of whom were on all three of my courses so we got to bond a little. I do like that.

Yesterday I had the worst trip home with tube delays, crowded platforms and a tiny train to Greenwich. It was, however, momentarily brightened as the train pulled out of London Bridge and immediately drew to a stop. As I stooped, my face pressed up against the window in a "comical" fashion, I looked down onto the street below and saw two skater bois TOTALLY NAKED as they got changed on a side alley. Well there was a sight to cheer even my tormented commuting soul. For a few seconds anyway. P.S. nice arses bois!



Yoinked from Gay Boy Thailand

Tomorrow is the first day of the European Election (no that doesn't mean us Brits get a few days to vote, just tomorrow!!) so if you haven't voted (unlike me) then I demand you get up off your bum tomorrow and go place a cross in a box next to a party whose name is not the British National Party. Yes, I'll even allow you (aren't I kind?) to vote UKIP.

If you are in Shepway vote Lib Dem for town, district and county!!!!

This blogger works for nothing but the joy of writing but always appreciates things bought from his wishlist

The Weekend That Disappeared!

One minute it was Friday night and I was running out of the office door as fast as my legs could carry me, and the next second it's Sunday evening. Where did it all go?

I have some bits of memory.

Friday I got home to find a bunch of new clothes, much needed after many years of not being able to afford new clothes. Thanks to some new shopping sites I've said goodbye to High and Mighty and their scarily expensive clothes and hello to some better deals. Feel a lot better with them, and feel more confident in going out.

Saturday Jim and I went down to Folkestone. Jim sat around with the parents, whilst I headed out with Sam to lend a hand delivering leaflets for his election campaign. We got a lot done, and even spotted Michael Howard and Damien Collins desperately doing Tory emergency campaigning as they try to maintain their councillors in Hythe following a local expenses scandal. I saw no other parties posters up, but lots (and I mean lots) of Lib Dem posters and placards around town. Usually it's a fairer split than that. People on the door step were unusually positive towards us (and very unhappy with the Tory councillors) and I think Sam has a real chance. Good luck for Thursday Sam, my fingers are crossed for you!

I followed up a lot of walking with a nice BBQ at home.

Sunday we headed home early (mainly to feed Gibbs but also to avoid a village wide garage sale that was already causing a fuss at 8am in the morning, everyone's after a bargain these days) and indulged in an inexpensive Battlestar Galactica marathon.

Wow... look it's a Charles Dera picture I've not published yet! Remember him, Dear Constant Reader? Good times. Good times.



This blogger works for nothing but the joy of writing but always appreciates things bought from his wishlist

Pedants Corner

I struggle every day to not be pedantic. I'm becoming more accepting of really bad English, mainly thanks to a recent Stephen Fry Podgram where the T'Internet Messiah Himself admitted he too struggled with language pedantism and needed to get over it. But there is one subject on which I cannot stop myself correcting "mistakes": Britain.

I know, the United Kingdom has only been around a couple of hundred years and is very likely not to last another decade. I am slowly accepting this. But even so I cannot stand people referring to British monarchs as "English". It drives me to distraction. Call them wastes of space. Call them German. But please don't suggest Queen Victoria was "Queen of England". Please do not even think that Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, is "Queen of England". It's just wrong. I'm not being political here, although as a unionist I'm sure you know where I fall in a Britain vs. England political argument. But calling Her Queen of England is not correct. It is not true. It might make sense to some people, but I've always been more a "de jure" person rather than "de facto".

So you can imagine my disgust when my brother showed me some chocolates Mum had bought him when she went to Hampton Court Palace this week. No, I wasn't jealous of the chocolates (he was giving them to me.. mmm...) but instead was shocked by the fact the chocolates were themed on the "Kings and Queens of England". Included among the Stuart and Tudor monarchs (who I will accept had the titles "of England") were Queen Victoria, King George III and King George IV. They are British monarchs. These chocolates had educational "tidbits" on the back and I just thought, how can they be educational when they are historically wrong?

So I sent the House of Dorchester a message explaining that it was wrong. And I feel bad about it. No, not about pointing out their obvious mistake (made no doubt by some poor soul who doesn't understand how disrespectful to the rest of the British population it is to suddenly steal Queen Victoria for England alone). But instead I worry about what that makes me. I find everyone else is so much less dogmatic and pedantic than I am about history and our monarchy. I wish I could be so flexible with the truth. I wish I could not be a pedant but embrace the St. Georges flag (note he never killed a dragon and he never came here so exactly what the heck is this Christian martyr doing as our patron Saint???) and just enjoy myself. Instead I find myself watching everyone else embracing their Englishness and feeling ever more sickened with it all.

I'm just going to have to accept that whilst I'll never consider myself English, the cause of being British is lost. Maybe I can set up a musuem. Where the chocolates have British monarchs and English monarchs and even, imagine, Scottish monarchs. That would be a hell of a lot of more educational.

And Dear "Foreign" Constant Reader do me a favour. Next time you here someone talking about the Queen of England (and not refering to Queen Anne or someone earlier) correct them. Just do it for me. Please. And I'll make sure people over here know Sydney is not the capital of Australia, that the United States of America is not full of idiots and that Holland is just a small part of the Netherlands.

This blogger works for nothing but the joy of writing but always appreciates things bought from his wishlist

The Sexual Cleansing Of Iraq

Most of us LGBTs have heard of what has been going on in Iraq... Maybe it's time we did something?

Watch the video:



Read the Peter Tatchell comment.

Get involved... before it's too late.

This blogger works for nothing but the joy of writing but always appreciates things bought from his wishlist

Is No One Else Disturbed By What Is Going On In This Country?

Every day we seem to have yet another story of Government and police power increasing at the cost of our rights. Now the Phelps are banned. If we are going to start banning people for their views, not for inciting violence which the Phelps obviously do not attempt to do (they rejoice in death not encourage it beyond the death penalty for homosexuals something which is in the Bible so if we are going to start banning people for suggesting it can we please ban that vile book too? Oops sorry am I banned now because I called the Bible vile??), then where will it end?

It's not too late to stop the madness. But it very well soon might be. Freedom means nothing if it only applies to the acceptable.

This blogger works for nothing but the joy of writing but always appreciates things bought from his wishlist

God Bless America

When this blog began way back in 2001 most sensible people thought Dubya was an idiot. 8 years on and I feel most people in general feel the same. Thank The Flying Spaghetti Monster for the end of his time in office. Long may Barack Obama reign (not exceeding two full terms of course...)

However... I must take umbrage at the opening words of his speech:

My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us,
grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our
ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the
generosity and co-operation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath....

Woo there... 44? I think he means 43 for though Grover Cleveland might be counted twice and also be of a rather large size he does not really constitute two Americans. Time for someone's speech writer to be sent to school.

If I've got the wrong end of the stick please let me know...

Anyway far be it from me to take issue with a speech of the man who showed George W. Bush to the helicopter that took him away from the White House. Even if his presidency turns into a disaster he deserves to be remembered in history for having done the world that service.

This blogger works for nothing but the joy of writing but always appreciates things bought from his wishlist

Mmmm... Baby Eels!!

So... after a hellish day at work which finished with a grown man sobbing down the phone at me, after he had accused me of being homophobic and had kept me behind after work (I don't get paid after 5pm people!! Grrr...), I headed home and had five seconds to have a shower and get changed before Jim and I headed down the local to meet up with Denis, Karen, Nal and H. It was H's birthday celebrations and so we headed into town for dinner at Salvador and Amanda. It's a tapas bar, and not too bad considering. It has an interesting decor and the food was great. I recommend their lamb and their baby eels (a Karen suggestion done good... they are yummy!). 

We headed up to Cafe Nero in Soho before heading back for a night cap at the local. 

Today has been just another day at work, but I was pleased at lunch to see 4 people wearing Obama "Progress" t shirts. Go Obama!!!!!!!!!! :D We live a whole continent away and yet still we are waiting eagerly to hear who wins the American election. Did we used to get this excited when Truman or Eisenhower got in? I wonder... 

Ann Widdecombe Really Must Be In The Wrong Party!

So Tories have been handed a pack containing vouchers for a lap dancing club (the Rocket Club in Birmingham) near their conference venue. To be honest this sounds like a very Tory thing: supporting a local business, with beautiful women. Sex and business are Tory MPs main concerns last I checked (I mean we all remember Baroness Young, she was always thinking about sex although that was more man on man action than "up to 50 of the most beautiful girls from around the world").

But nobody told Ann Widdecombe this:

Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe, a former shadow home secretary, told the Sunday Express: "I can hardly believe this is true.

"I know the Conservative Party is supposed to be modernising but do we have to throw every value out of the window?

"Can you imagine what our old ladies are going to make of it if they turn up there by mistake?"

Two things:

1) Male Members of Parliament, especially Tory, are world reknowned for their love of gorgeous women. This is not modernising. It's keeping the status quo. Modernising would be not having these leaflets in there!
2) I love the idea of "innocent" old Conservative women turning up at a lap dancing club and encourage the distribution of such leaflets to them under the proviso cameras are set up there to capture their reactions for the world to see.

Honestly Ann, what party did you think you had been in all these years?? Your own backbenchers shouted "melons" when female MPs got up to speak!!

Labour's Barbara Follett - one of the 1997 intake and one of "Blair's Babes" - says it is not just verbal abuse the female MPs have had to deal with.

"Sometimes when women got up to speak, some of the men - not thankfully on our side of the House - would put their hands on their chests, wiggle them around and go 'melons'. It was like a school boy type of humour," she said.

My Rights Are Better Than Your Rights

This is the kind of story that makes me uneasy about anti discrimination laws. Here we had two different sets of rights in conflict with each other and one had to be chosen as superior to the other.

I don't like that. Get rid of these anti discrimination laws and simply write down a Bill of Fundamental Rights which will hopefully do what the Human Rights Act obviously can't do (I'm assuming that if they need all these anti discrimination laws then the Human Rights Act is pretty darn useless!). Everyone should have the right to expect the same service from public servants as anyone else.

Human rights. One law for all.

Working For The Man

What do you guys think about gay people who are sacked from their religious places of work? For instance I know of one guy who was sacked from his position at a Seventh Day Adventist church school because of his sexuality.

Now I sympathise with him, and find this kind of discrimination disgusting on a personal level. But really what did he expect? It’s a Seventh Day Adventist school! Should we, as members of the LGBT community, really be signing up to support and work for religious and bigoted organizations? Would it be morally right for me to apply for the current open position of PA to the BNP member of the London Assembly? Personally I think it would not be morally right.

Now of course everyone is free to apply for whatever job they wish, but what really goads me is when a LGBT person applies to work for one of these despicable organizations and then is surprised when they act with intolerance and disgust.

So what do you guys think? Should every organization have to employ people regardless of whether or not the prospective employees agree with their basic founding principles? Should any moral, progressive person be working for and sustaining these organizations which discriminate against allsorts of people (women and LGBT people are just the tip of the iceberg)?

Happy Independence Day

To all my American readers, enjoy your day! I will be... thanks to the many, many Americans I work with our work is also celebrating July 4th with food and drinks.

I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty, than those attending too small a degree of it.

Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Archibald Stuart, Philadelphia (December 23, 1791)

I'd give anything to know what Thomas Jefferson would think of George W. Bush. ANYTHING! Wouldn't that be a delicious exchanges of letters... Jefferson versus Bush... if only.

There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.

President Clinton's first inaugural address, Jan. 20, 1993

True, too true. For all my current dislike for the current administration, I still cannot pretend my love of the country and it's ideals has ever been diminished. If only America would throw off those relics of the eighties, the Evangelists, then it might return to it's glorious post as the leading nation of the free world.

Watching Commander In Chief

Just trying to pick up a few tips for my campaign ;)

But reminds me how much I miss Matt Lanter.

Why are people surprised that Barack Obama would support faith based initiatives? He has made his Christian faith quite clear, and it makes sense for him to believe that these initiatives would be a good thing. It's one reason why I personally didn't see him as the best choice for candidate for President. Too religious. But he's the best America's got now Hillary Clinton is out of the running.

Christian Americans continue their attack on state's rights and personal freedom. The fight against gay marriage can only be framed as a religious one. There is no sensible, secular reason for wishing to ban it. Which brings me to Jae's (rather long) quote of the dsay from President John Tyler, the 10th President of the United States of America.

The United States has adventured upon a great and noble experiment, which is believed to have been hazarded in the absence of all previous precedent — that of total separation of Church and State. No religious establishment by law exists among us. The conscience is left free from all restraint and each is permitted to worship his Maker after his own judgment. The offices of the Government are open alike to all. No tithes are levied to support an established Hierarchy, nor is the fallible judgment of man set up as the sure and infallible creed of faith. The Mohammedan, if he will to come among us would have the privilege guaranteed to him by the Constitution to worship according to the Koran; and the East Indian might erect a shrine to Brahma if it so pleased him. Such is the spirit of toleration inculcated by our political institutions… The Hebrew persecuted and down trodden in other regions takes up his abode among us with none to make him afraid… and the Aegis of the government is over him to defend and protect him. Such is the great experiment which we have tried, and such are the happy fruits which have resulted from it; our system of free government would be imperfect without it.

President John Tyler was a man of honour it would seem. Our world needs more of them.

Labour Solve Homophobia Problem: Gays Be Discreet!!

I wasn't going to mention the disgusting story about Jacqui Smith that has come out this week. Mainly because Liberal Conspiracy says all that needs to be said.

But I couldn't keep silent when I saw this quote:

Yesterday the Tories added to the chorus of criticism of Jacqui Smith.

Stephen Crabb MP said:

"The Iranian regime has a dreadful track-record when it comes to the treatment of homosexuals and other minority groups and is more than willing to use torture and the death sentence to punish offenders.

"Asking minorities to live their lives discreetly is to give in to the tyrants and bullies who sustain their positions through fear and coerced conformity.

"It demonstrates both an unelevated view of the importance of human rights and cowardice in championing our own system of values."

This is from the Tories???? THE TORIES???? I knew it... I've fallen into an alternate dimension.

Anyway... I think we should ship Jacqui Smith to Iraq and tell her to be discreet about being the British Home Secretary. Grr...

David Davis Continued

Lot's of posts... can you tell I'm bored at work. I'm going to Kent for the weekend which should give you a break.

I don't like David Davis and I hate the Tory party. Just take a look at this post to see multiple reasons to not like David Davis.

But despite this, even despite his homophobia and support for 28 day detention, I am a firm supporter of David Davis's campaign against the 42 day detention. He is drawing a line in the sand and saying "No more". Even those of us who have drawn the line way off to the left of him and way back a couple of years are still behind him and opposed to the authoritarian state... and can support his attempt to stop a worsening of the situation.

If he wins then he gets back into Parliament and the actual make up of Parliament stays the same. If he loses then we progressives, liberals and libertarians may as well abandon hope for liberty.

It's a clear choice, and I've decided to put my hopes in Mr Davis igniting a flame in the hearts of the majority who support the 42 day detention and change their opinions during what shall be a well publicised campaign.

On a related note one of the most stupid arguments, and intellectually redundant ones, in favour of 42 day detention that I've seen goes along the following lines.

"The police want 42 day detention. We should trust the police. So we should give them this power."

Now to me this is fairly obviously stupid. The police are around for a very good reason; the maintenance of peace and order. They are not there to make laws, they are there to enforce them. Just like any organisation, even Parliament, we cannot put 100% faith in their actions and desires. Police, for quite obvious reasons, would love to have as much power as possible. Not because they are evil, but because to them it would be the most efficient way to do their job. That is why we have the CPS, and the Justice Department, to help ensure some prospective is given to their desires. They are not wrong, but someone needs to ensure they don't get too over enthusiastic with their desire to protect us from even the possibility of harm.

There's another good post at the same blog as above regarding how the police like to do things. The police are only human beings, subject to the same stupidity as the rest of the population (including myself!), and thus we should ensure their power over others is limited to only that which is absolutely necessary.

And finally... I hate people who discriminate against atheists. Those of us who follow the theory of evolution (which is not all atheists before a fundie arrives!) are often tarnished with the criticism "well evolution led to Eugenics, thus you are a Nazi". Now this blog posts an article entitled "Atheism as a cover for racism".

The article itself mentions the BNP, who "defend Christian Britain". This is taken, quite rightly, to be an underhand racist reference against Asians (and others!). Exactly what on Earth does this have to do with atheism? No actual quotes are given to support the "atheism as racism" argument. Grr... and worse still when I think of believers, I sure as hell don't think of Asians or Africans. I think of white Brits and Americans. Sure I'm happy to occasionally be more ethniccaly diverse and rally against foreign Muslim fundamentalists or the homophobic Anglicans of Africa. But in doing so I am not referring to their race, I referring to their stupidity. This does not infer all Muslims, Asians, Africans nor even Pacific Islanders are stupid (just as the fact I think of white fundamentalists when I think of fundies mean I infer all white people are stupid). It infers that those who subscribe blindly to hate should be opposed whether they exist in this country or pedal their disturbing wares abroad.

OK all of the above is a bit of a lie. I think everyone is stupid. But that's specieist not racist. But you get my point.

Two News Stories Of Interest

Firstly, the latest season of Big Brother is getting some good write ups. I have to agree this has been a much better start than last years boring season and a couple of others were pretty dire. Let's hope it stays interesting.

Secondly, and more importantly, David Davis has resigned from the Shadow Cabinet and as a MP. What makes this announcement even more interesting is he has done so, supposedly, over the issue of civil liberties and the 42 day detention scenario.

I say supposedly, because I remain cynical of Tory politicians. But I hope I'm wrong and wish him very well indeed if he really is taking a moral stand.

My political outlook has changed completely as of yesterday. I was a Lib Dem who was willing to give the Brown Government the benefit of the doubt over most issues. I was hoping the 42 day detention bill would be thrown out of the Commons, and I was praying this would lead to some serious changes in the outlook of the Cabinet.

As of today, I'm now a Lib Dem who is not going to give tacit support to the Brown Government. I am going to try to go up to Henley and do some leafletting for the Lub Dems if I can and I'm willing to face the prospect of a Tory Government after the next election if it means reversals to various draconian pieces of legislation Blair and Brown have brought in.

Of course I doubt the Tories would want to remove the legislation. It's the kind of thing that's right up their street, and I suspect their opposition is more politically motivated than based on any sort of support of freedom. But one can dream!

Let's hope the Lib Dems take Henley but give a clear run for David Davis in Haltemprice and Howden (as long as he agrees to getting little support from the Conservative Party).

Yes guys, that's right... you just heard me offering some kinder words than usually about the Tories. You know Labour has gotten itself into trouble when I'm starting to warm to the Tories.

**LATER**

Oh my, the Labour party supporters surely can't dig themselves any deeper? Oh yes they can.

This has been a quite extraordinary day. We began with it [42 days] apparently being a problem for Gordon Brown... Before we know it we have Tory division and confusion... David Davis sounded slightly unhinged.

Way to not score political points there.