Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Hey, listen up, The Gays and Friends of The Gays. These people do not like you. They will never like you. They've had 2000 years to try to reinterpret their user manual in the light of more contemporary thinking, and it's doesn't appear to be happening. You seriously can't get angry every time a religious leader resorts to the established dogma of his religion. I know I can't anymore.

Irrelevant homophobe speak out against homosexuality. Dog bites man. Forget about it.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Jack Bauer rhymes with Black Power. Coincidence? I think not.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Finding out that the X-Factor winner's single this year is a cover of Hallelujah made me want to throw items at the TV. How ironic that the song has the lyric, "but you don't really care for music, do ya?".

But here's a more contructive solution - buy Jeff Buckley's cover from a online music shop in an effort, likely futile but still satisfying, to make it number one this weekend instead. Many have - just look for the Facebook groups, the website, and the newspaper coverage.

Also, while I am filled with more festive cheer this year than for many years, I still find that Band Aid song to be utterly repugnant.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

On the front of today's Times is a photograph of Uma Thurman and her fiance, hedge fund manager Arpad Busson. The caption underneath reads: "Uma Thurman with fiance Arpad Busson. The Royal Bank, HSBC and councils also face huge losses."

The Times appears to believe that the marriage of Uma Thurman to that guy is a huge loss on par with the massive fraud of banks from the Madoff scam. I agree.

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

If you want something to do between now and Thursday, why not write to your MP, and ask them to explain to you why Abdulmajid Hassan Ismail (Home Office reference J1104674), a Darfuri asylum seeker from the non-Arab Marareit tribe, currently being held at the Oakington Detention Centre, is to be sent to Khartoum on 11 December.

Mr Ismail faces the risk of imprisonment, torture and death upon his arrival in Sudan, not only because of his ethnicity, but also because his political activity, protesting against the Sudanese government outside their embassy in London. Sadiq Adam Osman, a deported Dafuri asylum
seeker, when interviewed by journalist Inigo Gilmore, stated that during torture in Khartoum, he was shown photos of himself at demonstrations in London. Mr Osman was fortunate to escape Sudan with his life, thanks in part to organisations like the Aegis Trust. Are the risks of repeating this episode really worth it?

Aegis point out that the Home Office made a commitment in the House of Lords not to remove failed asylum seekers of non-Arab Darfuri background from the UK to Khartoum, pending the outcome of the forthcoming country guidance case (then due to be heard in September 2008, now due to be heard in February 2009). It is too premature to go ahead with this deportation, given the possible risks and their incomplete assessment. Abdulmajid has 48 hours.

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Today, we put up a Christmas tree. I am filled with cheer. I have attached tinsel to everything in our lounge, and it is glorious.

Yesterday, I went to Cambridge for former (and forever) Imp Alex Steer's wedding. This has been my marker, as we both were engaged around the same time. Five months to go. It's getting real.

Finally, I really like Razorlight's new song, Wire to Wire. Damn you, slow-burning catchy indie rock. DAMN YOU.

Monday, December 01, 2008

VAT goes down by 2.5% today. Because these changes have happened quickly, retailers have found it difficult to update all their prices in time. There was a bit on the news this morning about a shop which is coping by offering a 3% discount at the till. There was some technical reason why this was easier than a 2.5% reduction on thier system.

Thing is, a 3% reduction in price would occur if VAT was reduced by just over 3.5%. The actual reduction in price should actually be closer to 2.1%. I like to begin my Monday mornings with a bit of mental arithmetic.

So, if you are in a shop today, and you get a 3% discount, then you're getting a particularly good deal.