>> 31 Mar 2004

THE LINK BETWEEN SADDAM AND BIN LADEN..



In Euroweenie-land, it is a given article of faith that there is no connection between poor old Saddam and that gentle Bin Laden. Leftist after leftist queues up to state this as a matter of indisputable fact. Now then, isn't it interesting that Chris Hitchens has unearthed this excerpt from a book authored by two of Clinton's men on the NSC.



In "The Age of Sacred Terror" they justify the Clinton strike on Khartoum on the grounds that "Iraqi weapons-scientists" were linked to Bin Laden's factory and that the suggestive chemical EMPTA, detected at the site, was used only by Iraq to make VX nerve gas. At the time, Clarke defended the bombing in almost the same words, telling the press that he was "sure" that "intelligence existed linking bin Laden to Al Shifa's current and past operators, the Iraqi nerve gas experts and the National Islamic Front in Sudan." The U.N. arms inspector upon whom all three relied at the time, for corroborating evidence implicating Saddam, was a man who has since become famous: David Kay.



Oops....



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RADIO DEMOCRAT CALLING....



I laughed at the BBC's sycophantic interview with a propagandist for "Air America Radio" - launched today on the eve of April Fool's Day. Here is an excellent article by Lowell Ponte on the reality behind this radio for liberals. Funny thing is, the BBC didn't mention any of this. I wonder why? Guesses for when this station folds - I'm betting November 04 latest. Poor democrats - can't read and can't listen to radio.

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LIBERALS DEFINED....



I enjoyed these quotes today about the modern liberal.



"Liberal (n.) a man with his mind open at both ends." -Colin Bowles



"We who are liberal and progressive know that the poor are our equals in every sense except that of being equal to us." --Lionel Trilling "The poor don't know that their function in life is to exercise our generosity." --Jean Paul Sartre





Plus this line from Mark Goldblatt;



"The archetypal liberal is the guy who, every morning, drops a dollar in the lap of the homeless man camped out in front of his apartment building and who, every evening, blames conservatives for the fact that there's a homeless man camped out in front of his apartment building. In other words, liberals don't think things through; they opt for gestures, knee-jerk reactions that feel good, without the slightest consideration of long-term consequences."



Read this for an inciteful application of this thinking to the Dem's howls for Condi Rice to testify before the 9/11 commission.









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GERRY ADAMS CAUGHT TELLING THE TRUTH..



Not often that I agree with IRA/Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, but when he says that the Review of the GFA has turned into a farce, he is quite right. It should be obvious to all but the most dyed-in-the-wool GFA supporter, that the existing process is dead in the water. Northern Ireland Office spin will not obscure this central truth. The Parties can continue to talk until Armageddon comes but there will be no process until a few fundamental points are sorted out.



1. The IRA disarms and disbands.

2. The Euro and General elections are held.

3. The current political model is binned.




Got that?

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CNN IN TROUBLE...



To lose half your audience in one year seems a trifle worrying - yet this is the case with liberal cheer-leader channel CNN. With 52% less viewers than this time last year, it seems the America is turning off this big yawn. What a pity for John Kerry that this propaganda channel is doing so badly. I remember hearing that liberals don't read much, now it seems they don't watch TV much either.. What DO they DO?

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DANCING ON GRAVES...



Vandals have desecrated a memorial for two men murdered by the IRA in East Belfast. Before we get into the blame game on this, just reflect for a moment on the mindsets of those perverted individuals who think it smart to almost dance on the graves of those murdered by terrorism. Speculatation is that the guilty came from the Short Strand area. To me, it doesn't matter. Such sick people come from hell.

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TERRORISM IS NOT A LAW ENFORCEMENT ISSUE....



Andrew McCarthy has written a very useful analysis here as to why John Kerry, the UN and the EU have got it fundamentally wrong when they chorus that terrorism must be dealt with as if it were primarily an intelligence and law ernforcement issue. This was the foolish strategy employed by Clinton during the Monica years and which culminated in 9/11. It was also the strategy which Richard Clarke presided over. It would be a disaster (literally) in waiting were this approach to prevail - thankfully, so long as George W is in the White House we can be certain it won't.

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>> 30 Mar 2004

RABBIT RABBIT...



I do wonder sometimes HOW a story makes the headlines. Last evening, both the BBC TV news and the Belfast Telegraph ran this story about some thugs killing a families pet rabbits. Now, let me say that of course this is a sick act of vandalism, and evidence of how depraved some people are in our brave new world, BUT - surely it is not a national news headline? The elevation of a private pet tragedy into a national news headline concerns me - what is the editorial basis for making such a decision, why is it considered more important than the funeral of Harold Gracey, for example? It seems to me that whilst it may seem harsh, this is trvialisation of the news agenda.

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HOME GROWN JIHADISTS...



Well Well, Mr Blair needs to wake up to the fact that were it not for the excellent work of the UK security services, London would be having it's own 3/11. The arrest of 8 men alleged to be involved in a terrorist cell planning a "spectacular" is welcome news. Less welcome is the act that these are British subjects, of Pakistani descent. The home grown Jihadists are upon us and unless the UK cracks down on the militant Islamofascist Mullah's that preach hatred in their mosques, the legions of Jihad will increase in the UK. Forget about borders for the moment - the danger is already here!

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ALISTAIR COOKE RIP



Been a week for deaths. First Harold Gracey, then Peter Ustinov, and now, Alistair Cooke. I was a fan of Cooke's radio and written work and considered him a great man. Not so many week's ago, I took part in a BBC discussion about the ending of "Letter from America." I was shocked by the contempt the leftists on that programme held for him.."Not to be taken seriously" was one particularly crass comment. By way of redress, have a read of this excellent article...Alistair Cooke was an institution and he will be greatly missed. Sad times.

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REMEMBRANCE 9/11.





I thought this was a very poignant article, authored by a number of families that lost relatives on the fateful day of 9/11. It eloquently puts the puffed up self-important Richard Clarke is his place and reminds us all that petty political point-scoring over 9/11 is revolting. It is a shame that the feeling which united the USA in the aftermath of the Al Qu’eda attack has been dissipated in the intervening period. This plays into the hands of those who hate the values of freedom and Independence that the USA embodies. The last line of this article is the most important, “In the end, we will be judged on whether we successfully continue pursuing the ongoing war on terror sow that we may never face another 9/11”

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YASSIN AND ARAFAT – BLOOD BROTHER’S.



Here is an excellent article which spells out the unholy link between Hamas and Al Fatah, between Arafat and the recently departed psycho Shiekh Yassin. Whilst the Euromedia drone on about the great loss of such a “Spiritual leader”, it is clear that Israel’s business will not be finished until Arafat himself has been properly dealt with. His Fatah terrorist movement needs to be eradicated since it is inextricably linked with Hamas, and both act as arms of his genocide legions. What a shame that Chris Patten and the rest of the Palestinian loving Euro-cabal are so blinded by their dislike of Israel that they insist on pumping billions of Euro’s into Arafat’s bank account from which he can ensure that there will be no peace in the Middle East.

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>> 29 Mar 2004

EURO ALRIGHT, I'M ALRIGHT..



The puffed up preening of UUP Euro-MP Jim Nicholson accelerates by the day. Here he makes some asinine comment about the need for his Party to unite in the run up to the June poll. No self-interest there then. Despite his re-election to Brussels, I cannot think of anything of substantive benefit to the general NI population this man has brought about. It seems to me that this is all about a rush to stay on a gravy-train and as such is to be treated with disdain. Just watch his vote slump.

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DR JEKLE AND MR ORDE



Isn't Hugh Orde the strangest fellow? Here he is getting stuck into the sickening leniency of the NI judiciary when it comes to sentencing convicted terrorists. So far so good. The rampant politicalisation of the judiciary has been one of the most depressing accompaniments to the whole rotten "peace proces." Yet isn't this the same Mr. Orde who dreams of the day that the IRA's proxies can sit on the Police Board and thus direct the forces of law and order. Oops!

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BBC BIAS..PART 102.



Now here's a lovely example of BBC headline bias. Note how the BBC present the headline is sympathetic form to the Labour Minister; she is being "savaged!" by those bad conservatives for only doing that which Labour does best - covering up vast incompetence. Ms Hughes is a wonderful instance of the sort of third rate harpies with which Blair has entrusted the future of our country. Also, consider how the Bucharest "whistle-blower" is treated. Just a hint of distain from the BBC! The left always look after their own which is why despite the shocking alleged abrogation of duty, Hughes will not resign.

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>> 28 Mar 2004

NO SMOKING...



I don't smoke. I have never smoked. I defend the right of people to smoke however which is why I find todays ban of smoking in Ireland to be an invasion of personal liberty. The fact that Ahern boasts of this being "the toughest law in Europe" makes me laugh - pity he's not so tough on terrorism but still, the main thing is to control what people put in their lungs.

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In memory: Harold Gracey.



The death has been announced today of Portadown Orange Order leader, Harold Gracey. I was saddened to hear of this. I met Mr. Gracey on a few occassions and found him to be a likeable principled man. He found himself at the centre of a major political crisis, thanks to Republicans targeting of the annual Drumcree parade. He impressed me with his down to earth humour and his determination to stay the course. For what it is worth, I felt he deserved much more support from the cast-list of unionist politicians, though this is not the time for such matters. My prayers are for his family. He will be much missed.

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>> 27 Mar 2004

THE TROUBLE WITH TRIMBLE....





Christopher Montgomery writes a very thoughful review of the trouble with Trimble. In essence I agree with what he says, but there is one very fundamental problem. The UUP will continue to cleave to Trimble as it continues to slide into political obscurity. The Zimmerframe fraternity is incapable of turning away from "the leader", and it is this institutionalin ertia that will ensure Trimble stays but the voters go. One day, Trimble may leave - but he cannot be removed when there are no figures of subtance left in his failed political party.

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THE HOLLYWOOD JIHAD...



Here is an interesting analysis of the corrupt role played by Hollywood in canonising an eco-terrorist. Defining deviancy down indeed!

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EVERY LOSER WINS....



Ann Coulter demolishes the nonsense spouted by Richard Clarke during the past week here. She has rightly picked up on the double standard applied by the leftist media, which has given the Bush-bashing Clarke unlimited coverage this past week. Well worth a read.

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SHOULD KOFI BE TRIED FOR RWANDAN SLAUGHTER...



This week's winner of the gross political understatement comes from Kofi Annan who has figured that he could and should have done more to stop the genocide in Rwanda ten years ago. Forget Kofi's self-indulgent rhetoric, shouldn't he be brought to trial for the horrendous UN failure? What did he now and when did he know it?

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LIVE FROM THE TITANIC.....



At an extraordinary meeting of the officers of the Titanic, it was decided that Captain Trimble was the best man to pilot them to the bottom of the political ocean. No change there then.

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>> 25 Mar 2004

The Friday Essay.



DUMB AND DUMBER.



One of my favourite philosophical reference points is a wonderful book called “Amusing ourselves to Death” by Neil Postman. In this seminal work, first published back in the mid-80’s, the author constructs an impressive argument around the central thesis that our modern TV media-led world is destroying the concept of political debate, reducing attention spans, and….now what was I going to say…oh yes, dumbing down our civilisation! By transforming every facet of our culture into entertainment, is TV taking away our ability to remember or to think for ourselves?



Published just after the momentous year of 1984 had passed, Postman’s thesis is that George Orwell’s vision of a society being overcome by an externally imposed oppression is unlikely. Instead, he posits a much more frightening scenario; that outlined by Aldous Huxley in “Brave New World.” In this dark nightmare, no Big Brother is required to deprive people of their freedom and history. Huxley argued instead that people will come to embrace their oppression, to adore the technologies that limit their ability to think.



The contrasts between the Orwellian view and that of Huxley are stark. Orwell feared that books would be banned. Huxley feared that there would be no reason to ban books because no one would want to read one! Orwell feared that we would be starved of information. Huxley feared that we would be given information overload. Orwell feared the truth would be hidden from us. Huxley feared the truth would be obscured in a sea of utter irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture.



In the magnificent “1984” Orwell portrayed a people held captive by pain. In “Brave New World” Huxley portrayed a people kept captive by pleasure. Orwell feared that which we hate will destroy us. Huxley feared that which we love will ruin us.



In this era of the Internet coming into every home, at this time when we have dozens of TV channels, is it possible to determine if Orwell or Huxley was closer to the mark?



I think the evidence is clear, twenty years after Postman asked the question. Just look at the popularity of TV culture such as Reality shows! “Get me out of here, I’m a Celebrity” achieves stellar audiences. Millions tune in to watch third rate celebrities discuss extreme inanities. Office conversations the following day all concern themselves with what Peter and Jordan have gotten up to, and whether Kerry or Jenny can last the course. This at a time when western civilisation is at war with Islamic Jihadists hell-bent on wiping us out!



Consider the growth of the World Wide Web. There are millions of web sites on just about every topic one could imagine. (…and some on topics that few would want to imagine!) Yet despite this huge information highway, available into more and more homes 24 hours a day, many people are less well informed than in the past. Literacy levels have dropped not increased. Attention spans have shortened, not lengthened.



Postman gets to grips with all this by explaining that in our modern era, TV has not just become more than just a medium for our culture, it has transcended that and become our culture! He lays out the dangers of this in a wonderful comparison. Postman explains that the primitive technology of smoke signals were unlikely to have been used to express profound political philosophy on the simple premise that puffs of smoke were not really suitable for expressing detailed philosophical axioms! (Never mind the amount of wood one would need!) Pursuing this analogy we need to understand that TV is a VISUAL media which gives us a conversation in pictures not words. The importance of image on TV over words is obvious. The set designers, the camera-men, the image makers, these are the very important people. Writers are not so big a deal. So rather like smoke signals, you can’t do philosophy on TV. And that’s not all.



Let me provide a further example from my own experience. On several TV programmes, I have tried to logically explain the evil of terrorism and the threat it poses to the democratic process. I have attempted to argue this without taking “sides” over any terrorist groups, as I believe them all to be evil. Such an explanation is of itself lengthy and I have experienced the visceral impatience of the hosts on such programmes wanting to move me onto another sound-bite, fearing that viewers might be moving their fingers to the remote control. It didn’t matter what I said, it did matter how long I took to say it. The nature of the media controls the subject matter.



This leads me to argue, in this written tableau, that substantive political debate cannot happen on contemporary Television. At best one will have 30-60 seconds to construct detailed arguments and make several key points. In reality this cannot be done. Instead snappy one-liners are reached for. I know - I’ve done it! But believe me; a flashy phrase will never convince any political opponent that perhaps their argument needs more reflection. TV politics is Disney-gladiatorial, designed to appeal to viewers at all costs. That is why I find programmes like “Question Time” frustrating – the nature of the programmes means trite triumphs over substance every time. Make the audience laugh, throw in a pithy one-liner but don’t be so unwise as to carefully explain your position. That is just too dull!



The popularity of TV is undeniable. For many people, it has become an indispensable part of their daily lives. They gain their take on world affairs from it. For some, it is a reliable friend in the corner, always able to entertain them, and give them regular hourly “updates” on what is happening. This disguises the disturbing truth that TV has its own agenda, predicated on visual imagery, and on instantly communicable ideas. It is also driven entirely by ratings. It seeks to hold viewers by constantly changing the subject.



Orwell feared that culture would become a prison. Huxley feared it would become a burlesque. It seems to me that much as I admire and respect George Orwell, it was in fact Aldous Huxley who has most accurately prophesised what would happen to us. We are laughing all the way to cultural oblivion, forgetting why and caring less.

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IT'S A SPEEDTRAP JUDY..AND YOU'VE BEEN CAUGHT!



Say what you want about the PSNI, they may be utterly useless at catching burglars, convicting terrorists, finding murderers..but they sure know how to persecute drivers. Poor old Castlereagh drivers..they must be feeling very oppressed. And isn't it a wonder that the speeding drivers nirvana in West Belfast has the least number of convictions. Mmm...

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THAT HANDSHAKE....



So, honest Tony has shaken hands with Mad dog Ghadaffi. Why are we surprised? Blair is well used to shaking hands with murdering scum. Given Libya's shocking track record this is much too much much too soon! Of course we know that the mad Colonel is trying to save his scrawny neck, having seen what the USA did to his dear brother Saddam, but it still sickens me to see terrorist leaders accommodated.

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HUXLEY VERSUS ORWELL....



George Orwell is my favorite writer. I have found his books to be sources of inspiration, consideration, trepidation...essentially a genius. However one very interesting topic lies in the alternative views of the future for mankind posited by Orwell and Aldous Huxley. It is a recurring theme for me in my own writings and will be the topic for tomorrow's Friday Essay. You have been warned.

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MURDERING FOR PEACE....



The overnight murder of a man in Newtownards is one more bleak marker on a political landscape that seeks to deny the obvious truth that the paramilitaries (loyalist and republican) are as active as ever. It is most likely that either the UVF or UDA carried out the murder concerned, but this will not be admitted in case it should cast any doubt on a corrupt process.

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12 YEAR OLDS IN THE FRONTLINE...



The interception by Israeli defence forces of a 15 year old boy seeking to achieve manhood by blowing himself to pieces whilst killing as many Jews as possible demonstrates how sick Palestinian society has become. That is not really any surprise. What has been shocking is the manner in which this story has been handled by the UK media. In essence, it has chosen to cast doubt on the authenticity of the story. Frequent implied slurs on the IDF abound, and instead of honestly reporting events captured on camera, the media instead seeks to imply that the boy concerned was the victim..not of the Palestinians that set him up for his planned visit to paradise, but of big bad Israel. Anti-Semitism is never far from the surface when it comes to reporting of events in Israel.

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>> 24 Mar 2004

MONDAY, TUESDAY, HAPPY DAYS......



Media commentary on the death of psycho Sheikh Yassin is analysed by Honestreporting here and four major lies are exposed;



1. That the old fraud's death will escalate violence.

2. That he was a frail old man.

3. That his elevated "spiritual leader" status (repeated ad nauseum) meant he could not be targetted

4. That Israel has raised the prospects of Islamic terror attacks on the West.




The cringing respect from most media commentators for Yassin the assassin made me wonder how they will report the death of arch-terrorist Arafat. Will we have a day of national mourning? Will Jack Straw break down in tears? Will the media admit to its pro-Arabist bias?

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ME AND MUAMAAR...



The visit by UK Prime Minister Tony Blair to see Mad Dog Ghadaffi has been seized upon by pro-Saddam apologists as one more weapon to beat Blair over the head with. The question is; Is Blair doing the right thing here by visiting Ghadaffi and thus bestowing some form of credibility upon the dictator? My sense is that this is the wrong time to be going within a continent of Muamaar. Furthermore I have great sympathy with Jim Swire whose daughter died so tragiclly on Pan am Flight 103. Libya has been far from honest in its alleged "admission" of culpability in that dreadful event and suspicions remain that Libya was merely doing the work for another terrorist country (Iran)



Of course no-one living in Northern Ireland is under any doubt that Blair is duplicitious in his dealings with terrorists. After all, he has tea and buns with the political proxies for Europe's largest group of terrorist's on a regular basis. We all understand what is meant by the Bush doctrine, but I posit that the Blair doctrine is rather more illusive and needs to be fully understood. It suggests that the world is divided into good and bad terrorists. The former are those that can be appeased (as in the IRA) whilst the latter are those that need to be further worked upon before an appeasement strategy can be put in place.

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LIBERALS LOVE TERRORISM...



This is worth a read, the love affar the ultra-left has with terrorism. The author makes the valid point that whilst liberals pretend to be as patriotic as everyone else, their actions betray them. They are, at best, appeasers.

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DUP GETS THE TROTS...



This is hilarious. DUP Euro candidate Jim Allister has labelled the visiting group Euro Left/Nordic Green Left group as "trotskyites"The delegation of Euroweenies was hosted by Sinn Fein/IRA whose European Parliament candidate, Ms de Brun accompanied them on a tour of Belfast including the Falls Road and the Ardoyne. I have to take serious issue with Jim. These people are much worse than Trotskyites. Their rush to embrace Europe's largest terrorist groups political puppets makes them immoral as well. If Hitler were in power they would be visiting Belsen to study minority management techniques.

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CAN'T CLARKE...





The Drudge Report has a good item here on Dick Clarke praising the Bush administration for it's stance on dealing with Al Qu'eda back in 2002. Is this Dick Clarke at all related to the clapped out Richard Clarke who droned on about how Team Bush has missed out on how to deal with Al Qu'edatoday ? I wonder.

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A (S)TALKING DONKEY...?



So, Robert Oliver has decided that he would make an excellent leader of the UUP! First we had a stalking horse, now we have, well...I'm not sure what one could call it. It will divide the anti-Trimble ranks and this help Mr. T survive this weekend. The splits under the surface in the UUP indicate that this Party cannot possibly give Unionism any leadership. That is why, with all due respect, their AGM is monumentally irrelevant.

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ARAFAT TO BE TRIED FOR WAR CRIMES?



Here is an excellent article by Ariel Natan Pasko. It suggests that Arafat should be tried for war crimes, and when found guilty, executed. Few sensible people would disagree with that.

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WHY BUSH IS ALWAYS WRONG…. According to the Left.



Here is a great article on National Review by Rich Lowry. He points out the stunning hypocrisy of the those lining up to attack President Bush. Bush, the alleged great war-monger of fevered leftist imaginations, is now being accused of being too soft on terrorists! As if the left would do ANYTHING other than “engage” in “dialogue” in order to reolve the “root causes” of Islamofascism. Please! Do me a favour.

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A DWARF IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE



London’s Trafalgar Square, which celebrates the victory of the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, led by Britain’s greatest naval hero, Admiral Lord Nelson, is soon to have a new sculpture. It was Nelson’s triumph over the French at sea which foiled Napoleon’s plans to invade Britain. In the centre of the square is a 200-foot high column topped by a statue of Lord Nelson. The great British hero surveys the London landscape. Three other plinths in each corner of the square, celebrate three other British military heroes. There has been controversy for 160 years over who should occupy the fourth plinth. Red Ken Livingstone, the London Mayor, held a contest for a statue for the fourth plinth, without any military or heroic reference. Red Ken has now made his choice: The fourth plinth in this square for heroes is to be occupied by a 15-foot high sculpture of a naked, armless, truncated legged, pregnant dwarf. In other words, the Square will soon celebrate everything Britain historically is not: weak, vulnerable, exultantly victimized and ugly.



This is intended to be an affront to British history and to deface a square dedicated to men who made the British Empire great. Even five years ago, Livingstone and his gang may have had the will, but not the nerve, to place this hideous statue in Trafalgar Square. No longer. They know that the hard left is in the ascendant in the UK. Camouflaged in the colours of New Labour, they have a clear objective; the destruction of everything that makes Britain great. They will tear down our past glories and erect their own self-loathing. That is why we will have a dwarf in Trafalgar Square, worshipped by the Lilliputians of the left.

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WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE....





It's been interesting to listen to leftists argue about how wrong Israel was to kill leading terrorist psycho Sheikh Yassin. Thinking about it, we can distil the matter down to the simple fact that the left has never encountered a problem yet that it doesn't believe dialogue can solve. Thus Israel should talk to the Nazi Palestinian terrorists, the US should talk to Saddam and the Ba'athists, the UK should talk to the IRA (oH, that's right - they have) Without any discernable moral compass, the left like to waffle on about how talking can lead to understanding and thus to solutions. Simple.



Not sure how that one works when the plane you are on is hurtling downtown Manhatten at 500mph towards a tower block. Or when the bus you are standing on explodes due to a homocide bomber detonating his explosives belt. In fact, on reflectio, leftists arguments for "dialogue" collapse when the other party is not listening for anything other than surrender. And surrender, when all is said and done, is the leftists bottom line.

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>> 23 Mar 2004

A FOOL'S GARLAND...



Roy Garland, that most liberal of "unionists" does not miss the chance to praise Trimble in his Irish News column. The problem is that poor Roy is so far gone that his political acumen haa atrophied. He yearns for a UUP led by Trimble and Hermon and Peacocke and every other third rater one can imagine. In one way, I trust he gets his wish as the UUP will have become electorally embalmed by then! I laughed at Roy's assertion that Trimble has "helped lead us out of the wilderness of never-never land politics and has brought the DUP to the water's edge." Hilarious stuff!

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THE DAY THAT SPAIN SURRENDERED...



As published in this evening's Belfast Telegraph....

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THINGS HAVE ONLY GOT BETTER....!!!



This is for the moaning left. Read it and weep, hypocrites.



Iraq - one year on.Nearly 60,000 Iraqi citizens have been trained in the field to be police officers, soldiers, and border guards and as part of a ''civil defense corps.''





In all of Baghdad’s 88 neighborhoods representatives for local governing councils have been elected. In all, over 700 Council Members now work to serve their fellow countrymen. They include Sunnis, Christians, Shias, Arabs, and Kurds, and more than 75 women.



The generation of electricity reached its highest post-war level in August, and, according to the White House, is expected to return to pre-war levels soon. Oil production is also up, with between 1.4 and 1.7 million barrels being produced each day.



All of Iraq’s universities are open, and most secondary schools are open.



All of Iraq’s hospitals are open, and 95% of the clinics are open.



Thirty nations have troops on the ground in Iraq. This is up from nineteen just two months ago.



Earlier in the year, Iraqis ratified a Constitution.



The number of fatalities for all Coalition troops has steadily decreased since January. While 110 soldiers were killed in November, 15 have been killed this month. Fifty-two were killed in January, whereas twenty-three were killed in February.



Quagmire - what quagmire? Only in the chaotic minds of the left, I'm afraid.

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''INVESTING IN IGNORANCE''



Here is an excellent article exposing the deceit that typifies Kerry thinking on Iraq. The left like to run around pretending that there were no links between Saddam and Al Qu'eda. Clearly, once more, they get it pathetically wrong.

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THE IRA MUST BE CRUSHED.



Prime Ministeral helicopters are bound for Hillsborough today, as Blair and Ahern try to figure a way to restore the dead GFA. Of course however these two politicians twist, the stark reality of the Provo agenda is made clear here, in the words of Ms de Brun. It is obvious that the IRA always wants more, and I think it is high time it was given more. More soldiers patrolling the ghettos it currently occupies, more security intelligence monitoring its' every move, more prosecution from the hopeless PSNI, more convictions for the vile acts of criminality it carries out each day....yes, let's give the IRA more. They deserve it.

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RADIO HAMAS CALLING....RADIO HAMAS CALLING....



Listening to BBC Radio 4 cover the death of Islamofascist terrorist Yassin one would have thought that the Pope had been assassinated. The pro-Arabist sympathies that never luirk far from the surface of the UK media elite surfaced with a vengence. How dare the Israelis kill a terrorist leader. Espeically when the same malevolent man provided "spiritual" leadership to the murderers..sorry, make that "militants"..in Hamas.



It seems to me that the western media has become a de facto broadcasting corporation for every form of terrorist. Consider a few facts; the media opposed the US invasion of Taliban country; the media opposed the liberation of terrorist sponsoring Iraq; the media opposed any British Army crackdown on the IRA; the media were outraged that ETA may have played a role in 3:11M. The constant pro-terrorist whinge from the UK media may represent the greatest threat to our democracy. Yes, the terrorists may want to kill us, but the media elite want to apologise on their behalf.

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>> 22 Mar 2004

WHY ULSTER PEOPLE WILL LAUGH AT ALF MCCREARY FOR BEING STUPID....



Did anyone read this tripe served up by "unique" Alf McCreary in the Belfast Telegraph? This creepy interview with nasty little Desmond Tutu is characterised by the absence of any hard questions. I believe that McCreary has the right to present his lily-livered liberals views in the pages of the Telegraph but why is there no alternative right-wing perspective on this issues?

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PLAN B



Liam Clarke speculates what "Plan B" might be for the sunken "peace process." Given the Sunday Times record of pathetic cheer-leading for the Belfast Agreement as "the only show in town" one could be forgiven for doing a double-take on Liam's musings. His final moving tribute to the "bags of talent" in Sinn Fein is sickening but typical of why UK journos just don't get it. The majority of Unionists will not accept a political process that puts Sinn Fein/IRA, with its "bags of talent" and "bags of Semtex" in power until the IRA disarms and disbands. The Quisling Trimble years ended last November and nonsensical talk of a "panel of Commissioners" running Northern Ireland is the sort of stupid scare story that the ST has come to typify. Try again Liam.

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THE DONKEY PARTY.



I know that the Democratic Party in the States are often referred to as the "Donkey Party" however surely the Ulster Unionist Party deserve this name? The contortions of this collective of Big House Unionists, geriatric grannies, hand-out farmers and self-serving politicians never fail to amuse. Reading about David Burnside's performance on TV yesterday one is struck by the inanity of a political party so out of touch with pro-union opinion. I keep saying that it does not matter a jot who is leader whilst the Party pursues a pro-Agreement agenda. Only if the UUP became seriously anti-Agreement would it have any prospects but the liklihood of that is remote when one surveys the donkeys that constitute its senior ranks.

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YASSIN THE ASSASSIN.....



The IDF has successfully killed Hamas leading terrorist Sheikh Yassin. It is a shame that Palestinians support such an aged monster, but that it the reality of the situation. The grovelling UK coverage of this event is typfied by the refusal of the BBC to even say the word "terrorist" in connection with Yassin. The IDF has done the world a favour by despatching this terrorist mastermind to infinity and beyond. Here is the response from Hamas. What lovely people.



UPDATE: Steven Plaut puts it like this:-



Subject: Let them Caterwaul - It is Time for Celebration



It does not Matter what the Israel Bashers Now Say



And it does not matter that it is much too little and much too late.



It does not matter that the anti-Semitic scum of the world is already

whining that the assassination of the Bloody Sheikh, the genocidal

Yassin, was "illegal" and an "obstacle" to peace. Any peace for

which the killing of Yassin is an "obstacle" is one that should be

prevented at all costs.



It does not matter that Israeli leftists, including Avraham Poraz from

the Shinui party, are already denouncing the killing of the sheikh and

would no doubt also denounce a targeted assassination of Hitler had they

been alive in 1943, or the targeted assassination of Haman.



It does not matter that the Sharon people are already trying to offset

the international heat by expounding the new "goodwill gestures"

they hope to make to appease Arafat and his stormtroopers. Gaza was the

Biblical military center of the Philistines, and Sharon is officially

pledged to recreating a center for Philistine barbarism there.



It does not matter that all those do-gooders and bleeding hearts now

caterwauling about Israel's "provocation" have long forgotten that

under Oslo it was the legal obligation of the PLO itself to assassinate

Sheikh Yassin, and that it was only in exchange for such an obligation

that Yossi Beilin and his sandbox crew promised to turn the West Bank

and Gaza over to the PLO in the first place.



It does not matter that even as Arafat is screaming his love for the

genocidal sheikh and proclaiming official PLO support for this his

beloved comrade in arms and for Yassin's program of genocide, the Left

is denouncing Israel's "act of terrorism".



It does not matter that Ariel Sharon showed cowardice in not also

mowing down the Hamas "mourners" marching in the Bloody Sheikh's

funeral procession.



It does not matter that the same people screaming how inhumane it was

for Israel to kill the mass murderer who happened to be confined to a

wheelchair never had anything to say about the Palestinian terrorists

tossing Leon Klinghoffer overboard.



It does not matter that the British Foreign Minister thinks

assassinating the nazi sheikh was an awful provocation, but cheered to

the skies when the sons of Saddam Hussein were dispatched and their

photos splashed on the network screens.



It does not matter that the media will quickly revert to its position

that Israel must be prevented from undertaking any action against

terrorism besides total capitulation.



It does not matter that this was the first act in well over a decade by

Israel that gave some credence to the slogan of "Never Again", a

decade otherwise characterized by craven cowardice and appeasement.



It does not matter that the same Bush administration and US media who

spent the weekend cheering because they thought the number two al-Qaida

leader had been killed in Pakistan are now suddenly all squeamish about

the killing of Arab Islamofascist terrorist leaders.



It does not matter that the Israeli political establishment is

maintaining a blind eye to the open identification with the Hamas and

its leaders by so many Israeli Arabs.



It does not even matter that Israeli super-comic Eli Yatzpen, well

known for his impression of the nazi sheikh, will now need to come up

with some new material.



It does not matter that Israel's Tenured Traitors are already turning

out their Op-Eds for the world newspapers who lease their services in

order to denounce Israel's "crime".



It does not matter that Yassin should have been killed decades ago and

that he would have been vaporized last year had not Ariel Sharon feared

using a heavy-enough bomb, one that might have produced "collateral

damages".



It does not matter that some Israeli Far Leftists were already

endorsing "negotiations" with the Hamas and so will now declare that

Israel has lost a golden opportunity to make peace.



Gaza is where the injured Samson took his revenge on the

barbarians.



The world politicians and the media may be bewailing this

uncharacteristic manifestation of Israeli courage. Let them. For, you

see, the very best commentary on the effects of the assassination of

this nazi sheikh is not on the BBC nor on CNN nor in the NY Times. The

best commentary is Chapter 15 of Exodus:



The Nations have heard of it and are enraged,

Panic and shuddering have seized the denizens of Philistine Gaza,

The leaders of Edom are frightened, while the champions of Moab

tremble,

And the courage of the pagan Canaanites melts away.

Fear and Panic have fallen upon them.

For Your might arm crushes them like a stone, while Your people

proceed ahead.



Quite.

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>> 19 Mar 2004

ON THE RUN



It makes perfect "peace process" sense. At a time when the border area is rampant with every form of paramilitary controlled criminality, our shiny new PSNI gets to grip with the issue by....withdrawing police officers right across the region. Let that be a lesson to the lawless, Hugh Orde has got your number. If you're very good he might even phone you and invite you onto the Policing Board. And they say crime doesn't pay.....??????

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THE SLAIN IN SPAIN.....



Ann Coulter is her usual witty and perceptive self in this article on the craven Spanish.

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THE ZIMMERFRAME WING DECIDES.



The challenge to Mr. T at next Saturday's UUP AGM is no big deal. I predict the Zimmerframe wing of the UUP will be allowed out for the day from their maximum security twilight homes long enough to ensure that Trimble continues to preside over the Party as it sinks beneath the waves.

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A MAN IN TWO MINDS.





Kerry gets funnier by the day. Try this. "I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it." --John F. Kerry, explaining his vote for AND against supplemental funds for troops in Iraq -- the same troops he says Mr. Bush sent in "under-equipped."



When asked about Kerry's invitation to debate on the issues, George Bush responded, "We'll talk about that when Senator Kerry is finished debating the issues with himself."



15-0 to Bush.

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ONE MAN'S MILITANT.....



Here is more wit and wisdom from Steven Plaut. As ever, he is on the button. Substitute IRA as appropriate and you get the local angle.



“The CNN-BBC-LA Times-Washington Post Handbook for How to be an Activist."



1. Murdering people makes you a killer or a terrorist. But if those

murdered are Jews then you are an activist. You might also be a

militant.



2. Crashing jet planes into buildings makes you a terrorist. But

attempting to shoot down civilian planes landing in Israel makes you an

activist.



3. Placing large bombs on trains in Madrid makes you a terrorist, but

placing bombs on Israeli buses full of children makes you an activist.



4. Blowing up a nightclub in Indonesia full of Australians makes you a

terrorist. But mass murdering Israeli children makes you an activist.



5. Snipers shooting innocent people in Virginia are terrorists. Snipers shooting Jews in the West Bank are activists.



6. People trying to ram soldiers with trucks and cars are generally

terrorists unless the soldiers in question are Jews.



7. Throwing rocks at civilians makes you a criminal and maybe even a

terrorist, and if you do so off a California overpass you will get jailed. But throwing the same rocks at Jews in Israel makes you an activist and maybe even a professor at Columbia University.



8. Denying the Holocaust makes you a racist and a fascist bigot, unless

you are an Arab, in which case it makes you a moderate, at least if you

deny the Holocaust in grammatically correct English.



9. Hiding behind children when you shoot weapons at soldiers makes you a coward and a villain, unless you are a Palestinian or an Iraqi Baathist.



10. Murdering children makes you a fiend and maybe a nazi unless the

children are Jews, in which case you are an activist with legitimate

grievances.



11. 9-11 and 3-11 terrorism has no underlying causes or root grievances, but Middle East activism in which Israelis get mass murdered does - because of Israeli insensitivity and because Palestinians feel occupied.



12. When Bosnians or Albanians in Kosova get mass murdered, that is a war crime. When Jews get mass murdered, this is their comeuppance for their insensitivity, and of course it is reactive activism.



13. When Americans assassinate al-Qaida or Taliban leaders anywhere they find them, this is part of the war against global terrorism. When Israel shoots terrorist leaders, it is an obstacle to peace and is unjustifiably deactivating activism.



14. When the US jails hundreds of terrorists in Guantanamo Bay without

trial, this is because the jailed are terrorists. When Israel jails

people who have mass murdered Jews, this is undermining the peace process and antagonizing activists.



15. Firing mortars and rockets into civilian areas in the Balkans makes you a war criminal. Firing them from Gaza into Jewish homes makes you a militant. Protesting wearing of fur also makes you a militant, or maybe an activist.





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>> 18 Mar 2004

The Friday Essay.



DHIMMUTUDE DAWNING.



Al Qu’eda secured a stunning victory over democracy in Spain last week. All it took was one terrorist blitzkrieg on the Madrid rail network, timed a few days before the General election. A sufficient number of Spaniards were subsequently persuaded to seek a form of self-dhimmutude via the ballot-box as an imagined means of protection. Thus the democratic process was subverted by terrorists and much of the European press applauded. Aznar was dumped, the US was damned, and even better from the terrorist perspective there was no verified forensic evidence that Al Qu’eda was even directly responsible – the suggestion magnified through the leftist media was enough to bring about the first forced regime change since Saddam’s Iraq. The bogey-man does not have to be present - he only has to imply his presence.



The questions I pose today are as follows: Has Europe taken a major step towards self-inflicted dhimmitude rather than join up with the USA in the war against the Jihadists? If so, what will the likely consequences be for Europe, for the UK, and for the USA?



Let’s consider what is meant by Dhimmutude! This is the name given to the Islamic system of governing populations conquered by jihad wars, encompassing all of the demographic, ethnic, and religious aspects of the political system. The word "dhimmitude" as a historical concept, was coined to describe the legal and social conditions of Jews and Christians subjected to Islamic rule. The word "dhimmitude" comes from dhimmi, an Arabic word meaning "protected". Dhimmi was the name applied by the Arab-Muslim conquerors to indigenous non-Muslim populations who surrendered by a treaty (dhimma) to Muslim domination. Islamic conquests expanded over vast territories in Africa, (sic) Europe and Asia, for over a millennium (638-1683). The Muslim empire incorporated numerous varied peoples which had their own religion, culture, language and civilization. For centuries, these indigenous, pre-Islamic peoples constituted the great majority of the population of the Islamic lands. Although these populations differed, they were ruled by the same type of laws, based on the shari'a.



Before his unscheduled departure to infinity care of a few daisy-cutters back in late 2001, Bin Laden lamented “the tragedy of Andalusia.” In shorthand, he was very angry about the ending of Moorish rule in 1492. These Al Qu’eda guys have long memories! The point is that A Qu’eda is operating to a centuries old agenda with only one acceptable outcome – the enforced dhimmitude of the West. It predates the liberation of Iraq by around 600 years.



If we look to those countries where Osoma and his pals got their way, like Afghanistan, society was turned back to the Fred Flintstone era. The Stone Age suddenly became a halcyon period of enlightenment and Sharia law guaranteed that gay marriage was off the agenda. It also provided a spawning ground for international terrorism.



What would Sharia mean for Europe, should militant Islam be successful in introducing it? Unimaginable? Try telling that to the Canadian government which is being lobbied very hard to accept it!



Consider adultery, a popular activity in our increasingly un-Christian society. Shari'a resorts to particularly drastic measures. Rape creates an especially difficult burden of proof for the victim. Shari'a law only provides for punishment in cases of adultery, if both parties admit to have committed the "crime". If this is not the case, four independent witnesses have to be found; however, the witnesses must be male. In cases of rape, shari'a rules that a rapist is to be punished with 100 lashes, if unmarried, or with death by stoning, if married, since this would then constitute adultery. I wonder what Brice Dickson would do about that?

A pregnancy as a result of rape first of all counts as evidence of adultery committed by the woman. The rape victim then has to prove that she really was raped. In case the man - which is very likely - denies that he has raped the woman, the woman has to name four male witnesses to prove the rape. In case the woman does not find these four male witnesses - which again is very likely - she will be charged with slander. Tough love!



For the crime of slander, shari'a prescribes a punishment of 80 lashes. On top of that, the woman will be charged with adultery, and is thus threatened with the death penalty, if she is married. In case, she is unmarried, the "adultery" counts as immoral behaviour and is punished with 100 lashes.



Perhaps this gives a flavour of what Al Qu’eda has in store for us. Their Jihad has no compromise, no limit, and no end - until 1492 is re-written. Europe’s ambivalence in the war against these barbarians augers badly for the future. Is it possible that Europe will prefer to huddle in fear rather than step forward against the Jihadists? All the evidence points that way. France, Germany, Belgium, and now, Spain all give every impression that their primary objective lies in bringing the US – not Al Qu’eda, to it’s knees. A few more well-timed bombs before a few more general elections and this cowards club could also contain Italy and even the UK.



And as for the USA, it may have to face the fact that Europe is sadly subsiding into a form of self-Dhimmutude and thus could come to represent a future base for militant Islam.

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>> 17 Mar 2004

ST PATRICKS DAY



"Patrick the sinner, an unlearned man to be sure. None should ever say that it was my ignorance that accomplished any small thing, it was the gift of God." --Patrick, Bishop of Armagh, Missionary, Patron of Ireland, c.460.



Prior to his death, Saint Patrick returned to Ireland, confronted the Druids, converted Chieftains, and used the three-leaf clover to teach the Trinity. He baptised more than 120,000 and founded more than 300 churches in the name of Christ. (His life and passage is worthy of a higher order of recognition than drinking large amounts of green beer.) A quiet prayer might be better than loud mouthed parade buffoonery.







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BELFAST TELEGRAPH DOUBLE WHAMMY



Eric Waugh and Steven King both have produced very interesting articles in this evening's Telegraph. What a turn up!!



Here, Mr. Waugh highlights the dangers posed by Islam to a pluralist democracy such as the United Kingdom. His points are valid and he deserves praise for tackling the myths of the "religion of peace."



Steven King manages to mention "the tragedy of Andalucia" which I have been banging on about for the past week. This is a well written article and whilst I am far from a fan of King (nor he of me, I suggest) credit where credit is due.



Rather than the normal slumber-inducing tripe, these columns are very good. Make sure you read them both.

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BIAS FOR KIDS



Honest Reporting exposes more bias in the media. This time its the recent efforts of two major news agencies to provide kids' primers on the Mideast conflict that go beyond oversimplification to outright distortion, encouraging impressionable young people to absorb, as elementary truths, the great myths of Israelis as land-hungry war-mongers, and Palestinians as their hapless victims. Impartial news providers.....????



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Woman's Dictionary





This amused me! I did NOT write it, however. Wish I had.





Here's what a woman will say--and what she really means:





I'm sorry = You'll be sorry



We need = I want



It's your decision = My correct decision should be obvious by now



Do what you want = You'll pay for this later



We need to talk = I need to complain



Sure go ahead = I don't want you to



I'm not upset = Of course I'm upset, you moron



This kitchen is so inconvenient = I want a new house



I want new curtains = carpeting, furniture, and wallpaper



I heard a noise = I noticed you were almost asleep



Do you love me? = I'm going to ask for something expensive



How much do you love me? = I did something today you're going to hate



I'll be ready in a minute = Kick off your shoes and find a good game on TV



You have to learn to communicate = Just agree with me



Are you listening to me? = Too late, you're dead

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WHERE THERE'S A WILL....



Here's a typically thoughful article by George Will on the broader internatonal political scene. Hard to disagree with much of what he writes.

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BETTER OFF WITHOUT DEVOLUTION!



So more people here are employed than ever, and that DESPITE the fact that our little toytown Assembly has been suspended! It goes to show that a free market is the best regulator of wealth generation, and that keeping politicians (espeically local ones) out of our affairs, pays dividends. Now, could we also please reduce local Government please?

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COVERING THEIR BACKS



Yesterday saw a concerted spin from the British establishment to prepare the public for a Madrid-style attack. The creepy Sir John Stevens of the Met and buffoon Mayor Livingstone called a press conference to basically tell us to prepare for a major terrorist attack and when it happens not to try and blame them.

This has been given sympathetic mass media coverage and strikes me as an example of a pre-emptive excuse. To suggest that a politically correct demoralised Met is up to the job of keeping Al Qu'eda at bay is laughable. All the prospective bombers need do is recruit a few gay Rastafarians and hey presto, access to whereever you want thanks to a kindly London bobby. And as for Livingstone, his track record lies in supporting terrorists. So do me a favour guys, better to admit that you're incompetent if you wish to get your excuses in upfront an attack.

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>> 16 Mar 2004

THE NEW ROMAN CATHOLICS!



DUP MLA Gregory Campbell makes a number of serious charges regarding the discrimination against Protestants in Northern Ireland here. However for him to call upon the "Equality Commission" to do something about it, when they are key practitioners of such alleged discrimination, is surely fuzzy logic. Call for the disbandment of the Equality Commission as step one, Gregory. I would support that.

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DOG BITES MAN





Say it ain't so! Paul Murphy reckons that confidence in the "peace process" has been undermined! The silver-tongued cavalier makes it clear that peace will be back on track any day now, and that the GFA is still the only show in town. Does ANYONE take this tripe served up by the NIO seriously? (Apart from the lapdog media)?

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WHY EUROPE CANNOT BE TRUSTED TO EUROPEANS!



This excellent essay by John O'Sullivan neatly dissects the Spanish problem. Cowardly Europeans need to have their spines stiffened, or the menace from Al Qu'eda will grow ever nearer.

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WITHOUT PRAYER





On this day, March 15, 1984, the US Senate voted down voluntary silent prayer in public schools.



President Ronald Reagan responded: "I am deeply disappointed that, although a majority of the Senate voted for it, the school prayer amendment fell short." President Reagan later remarked: "In 1962, the Supreme Court...banned the...saying of prayers. In 1963, the Court banned the reading of the Bible in our public schools,...a series of assaults were made in one court after another.... Without God there is no virtue because there is no prompting of the conscience...without God democracy will not and cannot long endure."



Amen to that. A wonderful considered quote from the great communicator.

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ARAFAT'S COWARDICE





Anyone doubting the malice of the Arafat nazi regime should read this story:-





Fatah Tanzim activists in Nablus attempted to use an 11-year-old boy to

smuggle a bomb through an IDF roadblock on Monday, and tried to detonate

the bomb when soldiers stopped him.



Earlier in the day, Shin Bet agents had alerted troops in the area of

plans by a bomber to leave Nablus.



The men gave the boy a bag containing a seven-to-10 kilogram bomb stuffed

with bolts. They promised him a large sum of money if he would carry it

through the roadblock and hand it to a woman waiting on the other side.




"A military policewoman lifted the bag, which was heavy, and placed it on

the table. The soldier noticed the boy was uneasy and, when she questioned

him, he told her the bag didn't belong to him and he had been asked to

take it through," Lt.-Col. Guy, a Paratroop Brigade battalion commander,

told The Jerusalem Post.



"She immediately alerted officers, and with the other soldiers, distanced

everyone from the area. "When the boy's dispatchers saw he was being detained,

they dialed the cellphone inside the bag meant to detonate the bomb in an attempt, but it

failed top go off," he said.



The boy was detained for questioning, and sappers were called in to

dispose of the bomb.



Guy said the boy will be freed after questioning. "We're not going to do

anything with a boy like that, an innocent kid trying to earn his daily

bread. Someone apparently promised him money for getting the bomb across."



Guy said it is common for terrorist groups to use children or women as

couriers for arms and explosives.



"We have caught a 39-year-old mother of seven... with an explosive belt

under her clothes," he said, adding that the woman was on her way into

Israel from the West Bank when she was caught.

Since the outbreak of violence, terrorists have dispatched 29 suicide

bombers younger than 18, officials said.



Since 2001, more than 40 other minors who were involved in planning

suicide bombings have been arrested by security forces. Since May 2001, 22

shootings and bombings were perpetrated by minors.

Elsewhere in the West Bank, soldiers shot a Palestinian who threw a fire

bomb at troops near Zabade, south of Jenin. Shots were also fired at

soldiers in Nablus.



Charming people, these Palestinians. No wonder the EU has to send them all that aid.

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>> 15 Mar 2004

SPANISH COWARDS?



Here's a thought-provoking article by Doc Farmer, which tells it like it is on the Spanish situation post 11/3. He makes the very good point that Al Qu'eda will view this as a victory for their uncompromising Islamofascist agenda, and every Western nation should feel MUCH more unsafe this morning. If a Government can be changed by a dozen well-planted bombs, where next?

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A MAIDEN NO MORE...



The assault on an SDLP Councillor and his son on their way to a charity auction brings more shame on the increasingly lawless "Maiden City", Londonderry. Not a week goes by without the media reporting wanton acts of thuggish brutality in this area. Where are the PSNI when all this is happening? Londonderry is fast becoming the symbol of the post-GFA N. Ireland, brutal, lawless and a place where few would want to go.

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GET ME OUT OF HERE, I'M A SOCIALIST



And so, the lion-hearted Jose Zapatero, Spanish Prime Minister elect, has declared that he will get his troops out of Iraq pronto. Translates: SQUEAK. Please Osoma, we surrender. Absolutely pathetic, and despite the flatulent trumpeting in the left wing press, the dangers this sets up will come back to haunt us all. Rather than Aznar's resolution and resolve, we see leftist equivocation and retreat.

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THE TRAGEDY OF ANDALUSIA



The news that the left-wing Socialist Party has won the Spanish General election has been trumpeted by the left-wing International media as proof that;

a/ Aznar was wrong to blame ETA, even though he did so on the advice of his security agencies and

b/ Spain was wrong to support the USA.



Let's follow this fools logic for a moment. It requires that one believes that every time Al Qu'eda, or one of their agencies, claim something it is fact. It also requires that one accepts that Western governments stop supporting the USA. and THAT'S the rub.



Leave them alone and they'll go home - whine the appeasers, including a section of Spanish opinion. Better still, try to understand them. Well, sorry, but they won't! Back in the days when he was still alive, Bin Laden listed as his principle grievance "the tragedy of Andalusia"- the end of Moslim rule in Spain in 1492. Five hundred years later, poor Osoma was still angry and his successors won' be appeased. So, here's what we need to do;



Indict Spain at the World Court for the illegal occupation of the Basque region, Galicia and Catalonia. Demolish the walls around Ceuta and Melilla, built on Magreb soil. Restore Toledo and Granada to their rightful Moslem owners.



The path to victory is clear - time for a fresh approach.

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>> 14 Mar 2004

TAKE FIVE.



Having written about nothing but black topics in recent days, I decided to entirely change the subject and talk about five great songs which I have been listening to this past week.



1. “It’s Over” by Roy Orbison. What a great singer, a tremendous lyric, and an enduring song. I think Bono described Roy Orbison as having the voice of an angel. For once, Bono and I are in full agreement. Orbison had such a tough life, and yet on songs like this he transcends suffering. Superb.

2. “Hurt” by Johnny Cash. Again, a painful but thoughtful lyric and a truly awesome delivery from the man in black. This was his swan song before he left us, and it is memorable.

3. “Complete Control” by The Clash. Fantastic release of rock and roll energy. The guitars come crashing in, the drum beat rocks, and Joe Strummer is at his majestic best.

4. “In these Shoes” by Kirsty MacColl. My favourite female singer. This song is sensuous, musically colourful, and a great laugh. Kirsty was the best, the most talented, the wittiest, and - the best looking!

5. “You Bow down” by Elvis Costello and the Attractions. A superb Byrds pastiche, with Elvis in top lyrical form and the Attractions playing at full tilt. In this form, no one ever came close.



You know having just written this, I noticed that four out of the five singers I like are dead. I must be getting old.

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HOW NOT TO BEHAVE AS EUROPEANS - by Dr Steven Plaut.



Here is the full text of an excellent article by Dr. Plaut. Well worth a read.



For the past few years the EU has been financing generously the activities of the PLO, including its

overseas PR public relations activities. It has also pumped huge amounts

into the Israeli treasonous Left, the radicals working for the

destruction of their own country.



Let us NOT behave like the Europeans. Let us NOT now pump money into

the terrorist groups who have targeted Madrid and the EU. Let us not pay

for their ads and publicity campaigns. Let us NOT issue statements

endorsing the goals of the bombers and "understanding" their grievances.

Let us NOT refer to the bombers as activists and militants. Let us NOT

send money to the treasonous extremist leftists organizations in the EU

who will cheer the bombings. Let us NOT seek sanctions and boycotts

against Spain. Let us NOT seek to have Spain indicted in the Hague. Let

us NOT grant the ETA observer status in the UN. Let us NOT issue demands

that al-Qaida and the government of Spain conduct negotiations. Let us

NOT finance a mission by Spanish leftists to Geneva where they will meet

with al-Qaida. Let us NOT denounce Spaniardism as a form of racism. Let

us NOT indict the Prime Minister of Spain in Brussels as a war criminal.

Let us NOT denounce the illegal Spanish "occupations". Let us NOT refer

to the Spanish residents of Seville and Granada and Malaga as "settlers".

Let us NOT represent treasonous Spanish leftists as representative of

their country and invite them to appear with al-Qaida terrorists at

symposiums to create political balance.



Let us NOT behave like Europeans.



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ROSA PARKS AND GAY MARRIAGE.



The current vogue amongst militant gay activists is to quote the Rosa Parks story as a historical analogy that will add credence to their own lobbying. Thomas Sowell demolishes this hypocrisy here, and I agree with his main point that whilst Gays were right to argue that Government has no right to tell them what to do in the privacy of their own home, they are now demanding that Government has an obligation to recognise them.



The leaders of the chorus for gay marriage like to present themselves as victims, martyrs in a world that just does not understand them. The truth is that they already have the same rights as everyone else, each man has a right to marry a woman, and each woman has a right to marry a man. Why should "special" rights be conferred upon anyone???

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MEANWHILE BACK IN WONDERLAND...



Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern are going to "push" the IRA to disband! Really? And how will they "push" Adams to do the decent thing? Not so clear on that point. But if we review the past ten years, there will be further concessions to the terrorists, further destruction of the democratic process, and further weasel words in exchange for a few more IRA stunts. Let me explain how you push them.



1. Make it clear Sinn Fein will be declared a terrorist organisation, banned, and have all it's financial resources seized.



Try that guys, see how you get on.

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THE RELIGION OF PEACE



Five Muslims arrested by the Spanish police. Funny how the religion of peace seems to supply so many terrorists. Should these men be proven guilty, the onus will be upon moderate Muslims to come out and categorically denounce militant Islam. It seems to me that whilst the term "war on terrorism" is wrong - it is a "war on militant Jihadists." Don't think the Jihadists are interested in "compromise", by the way. Just death or glory.

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>> 13 Mar 2004

A Saturday Essay – in Remembrance.



MORAL EQUIVOCATION.



Let’s get one thing straight from the beginning. The sheer scale of Thursday’s terrorist atrocity in Madrid is understandably hard to take in for so many decent people. The very thought of all those Spanish families bereaved of their loved ones – husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters - so callously, so suddenly, is one that properly requires time for solemn reflection. I spoke with a Spanish colleague on Friday whose family all lived in Madrid. Her main emotion was shock then relief that as far as she knew, her family were safe. She was not sure about her friends. The human tragedy is very real and it is at these moments that the indomitable human spirit is tested severely. Our prayers are with those affected by the carnage in Madrid.



Yesterday, in the Friday Essay, I tried to explain that I view the perpetrators of this vile act, whoever they are, as the very personification of evil. I went on to suggest that all democratic nations have a legal and moral duty to use all available resources to bring the killers to justice. Or justice to them. Yet ongoing media coverage combined with a number of postings on both this and other web sites on this topic raise a number of disturbing points. It is these which I now seek to address.



Flashback: 9/11. As the rubble of the Twin Towers still burned, the liberal media were quick to question the claim by the US Government that this had been the work of Al Qu’eda. Where was the evidence, the talking heads mused? Even when the evidence became clear, the line of enquiry being followed was that the US had brought such an awful day upon itself by its foreign policy. In other words, the US had it coming and even if Bin Laden was guilty, then the correct response was to try and “understand” what drove men to hi-jack aircraft and then pilot them at 500mph directly into Offices containing thousand of defenceless workers in New York. Ring any bells?



Fast Forward: 3 March 2004. As the bodies were still being pulled clear from the shattered carriages in Madrid, the liberal media were quick to question the assertion by the Spanish Government that this was the work of ETA. Where was the evidence, the talking heads muse? Even when the Spanish security services emphasised their belief that it was ETA, the line of enquiry being followed is that Spain has brought such an awful day upon itself by its foolish support of the USA. In other words, Spain had it coming. Even if Al Qu’eda is proven to be guilty, then the correct response is to try and “understand” what drove men to plant bombs on crowded railway carriages and then detonate them via mobile phones.



In a few years, the liberal media has moved from a refusal to accept Al Qu’eda involvement in terrorist attacks to a refusal not to accept Al Qu’eda involvement in terrorists’ attacks. Funny old world, as they say.



But digging a bit deeper, other prejudices bubble to the surface. When Jose Maria Aznar calls for the animals (which apologies to animals) responsible to be tracked down and brought to justice, a HOWL goes up from the liberal hordes. Apparently, this will only make matters worst! Isn’t it better if we try to “jaw-jaw” with the planners of these awful events? Wouldn’t it be best to compromise with terrorists in order to secure a just and lasting peace? This takes us to the heart of this essay – moral equivocation.



In essence, this distils to four central elements.



First, equivocators don’t know what a terrorist is. “One man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist” is their cri de Coeur. Rubbish. Those who set out to use terror and violence in pursuance of their own illegal organisations are terrorists. Black and white, guys.



Second, equivocators offer conditional defence of acts of terror. Thus, the IRA was wrong to murder thousands of innocent people BUT they were striving to achieve freedom for the Irish people. It’s a familiar moan that deserves to be treated with familiar contempt.



Third, equivocators believe that dialogue and understanding offer the best solution to eradicating terrorism. They appear to think that one can reason with men who slaughter at random.



Fourth, equivocators know that when all else fails, blame the victims of terrorism. The US had it coming at 9/11 – the Spanish had it coming on 11/3. And as for those supremicist unionists...



Finally, lost in a maze without a moral compass, equivocators are the terrorists best friend.



In a fallen world, one can understand why there are so many moral equivocators. They constitute a fools chorus, bringing joy to the ears of the murderers.



We must not only remember the dead in Madrid, we must remember why they died.



Spain is a civilised nation, standing firm against all forms of terrorism. Today we should all be Spanish.



In remembrance.

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>> 12 Mar 2004

The Friday Essay



THE MEANING OF EVIL.



There are some events which happen that so barbaric, so cruel, that they come to personify evil. Madrid 11th March is one of them. They have happened before and I fear they will happen again. Evil has always stalked this world. Think Bali, think 9/11, think Omagh, think Oxford Street Bus Station. These terrorist attacks vividly demonstrate how little value the perpetrators put on the sanctity of human life. They demonstrate for even the slowest learner precisely how barbaric terrorists are.



Consider for a moment what happened in Madrid. Some people decided to attack at morning rush hour. In typical terrorist cowardly style, they selected trains containing innocent and defenceless commuters. They placed the bombs in such a way as to maximise the loss of life. They gave no warnings. What sort of immoral monsters do something like this? The answer, which seems to be giving our liberal media a problem, is that terrorists are not like the rest of us. They do not put any value on the sanctity of human life, indeed the reverse is true. Whoever set out to cause mayhem in Madrid did so in the full confidence that they would make the railway tracks run with blood. Those who are so detached from their own humanity that they revel in death are the sort of people that compose the ranks of the terrorist legions.



The Spanish people have reacted in their normal brave and decent manner to this slaughter on the railway. They did not need any opinion formers to tell them what to do. Within hours of the events, posters were going up in Madrid with two words on them, “Terrorists – Cowards.” There will be mass demonstrations across Spain today defying the terrorists. I wonder how many of those self-appointed moral guardians of the “Stop the War” brigade will be marching in support of the Spanish people and their right to defy whoever carried out this atrocity? I think you know the answer. None.



There are two types of reaction to the Madrid horror. Liberals react by expressing their sympathy and then adding that we need to eradicate the root causes that make terrorists carry out such acts. Conservatives react by expressing their sympathy and then adding that we need to eradicate the terrorists. The Spanish Government, under Jose Maria Aznar, thankfully falls into the latter camp. Listening to the comments of the Spanish Interior Minister, the Spanish Foreign Minister, and the Spanish Prime Minister, one is struck by their consistent refusal to indulge in the moral equivocation of the liberal left, they were clear it was ETA that carried out the bombings and they were determined that the guilty would be hunted down like the animals they are and brought to justice.



Contrary to media speculation it does not matter if Al Qu’eda or ETA was responsible. Almost 200 people are still dead, thousands are still injured. Families have been devastated. Terrorism is terrorism and the evil is made manifest here. What we need now is a concerted effort to hunt down the mass murderers concerned and ensure that they are made to pay for this crime.



11th March Madrid will now be entered into the annals of horror perpetrated by terrorists. After the grieving is done let us pray that the families of the bereaved find solace and comfort, Spain should ensure that it’s excellent security services, working in collaboration with other Governments, bear down remorselessly on the guilty parties. Spain is winning the battle against terrorism – but it will not be complete until every guilty terrorist is dragged from whatever hole the have buried themselves in and made to pay the price for their uinspeakable evil in Madrid.

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>> 11 Mar 2004

BREEN THERE - DONE THAT.



Suzanne Breen, writing with her usual wit and insight, points out the madness of the UUP in this morning's Newsletter. Her pay off line is the key point - the UUP just does not have the talent to replace the drop-dead useless Trimble. Montgomery Burns and Martin Smyth is a nightmare combination, but yet I suspect that the Zimmerframe set MIGHT endorse it. Poor old UUP - washed up and don't even know it.;

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MAYHEM IN MADRID.



The horrific bombings at train stations during rush hour in Madrid today demonstrate vividly how obscenely evil terrorism is. ETA are in the frame for this, and the IRA's pals have shownyet again what lies under the surface when terrorists don't get their way. Let us hope that the Spanish Government moves to crush ETA permanently.

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>> 9 Mar 2004

IT'S MY RIGHT?



This shocking article, "Grandma, will you marry me" is well worth a read. It neatly exposes the double standards of the Gay Marriage argument. If it's all about equality, then the author does have a point. Check it out.

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I'VE GOT A BRAND NEW KEY...



You have to laugh. The Newsletter leads with the stunning annoucement that "Empey holds the key to crisis"! Really? I was rather under the impression that the noble Knight ( as opposed to the Nobel Laureate) has supported every pig-headed decision Trimble has made. Therefore in what way is is political acumen supposed to be superior to Mr. T's? Ciaran McKeown's breathless prose is rib-tickingly hilarious. " Now, either Sir Reg will back Mr Trimble openly and firmly and leave the anti-Trimble group without a viable candidate: or he will become a candidate and would almost certainly be elected by delegates desperate to try anything to lift the party's fortunes" Is it just me or is the UUP so dysfunctional that it thinks a Montgomery Burns lookalike is the very man to restore its flagging fortunes.



Clearly Empey would like to be Leader, but there is the slight problem that he shows no leadership qualities. I have sat in a few meeting with him and found him to be utterly ineffective - very much the Government stooge. If the UUP want to make a change, make one worth having. Have they ANY substantive candidates? Not obvious. I can think of no MLA who has the courage and intellect, combined with sophisticated interpersonal skill base, to change this Party's direction into chaos. Root and branch reform, the abandonment of the Belfast Agreement, momentous modernisation - as a minimum - are what is required. Somehow I can't see the Zimmerframe fraternity that constitute the UUP membership accepting that. The Party is over.

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IN THE LAND OF MAKE BELIEVE.



Once more the Chief Constable Hugh Orde comes out and declares that the IRA and UDA are constantly involved in criminality, punishment mutilations, intimidation, smuggling, drug-peddling and every other social vice one could imagine. Yet he is evasive on the issue as to whether this acts constitute a breach of the cease-fire. That is a political decision, he weasels. Rubbish. Obviously all the terrorists gangs are in continual breach of their ludicrous cease-fires but in our Malice in wonderland it is indecent to acknowledge the obvious. Pathetic.

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TRIMBLE FOR EUROPE?



As David Trimble's future as UUP Leader looks ever more grim, this story in the Belfast Telegraph sounds plausible. An EU bolthole for Mr. T seems one of the more pleasant fates for the Nobel Laureate. Despite his protestations, I get the feeling that he is gradually being abandoned by the media as they look for his successor. I found the comments of BBC political editor Mark Devenport very interesting in this regard.

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SINN FEIN UBER ALLES?



I see that Sinn Fein is squealing about the fact that Irish Justice Minister Michael McDowell has likened their relationship to the IRA as akin to that between the brownshirts and the Nazi's. This is grossly unfair. On the Nazi's.

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>> 8 Mar 2004

HOW TO RECOGNISE A LIBERAL!







This is a hilarious post by Dan Smith at www.chronwatch.com



You Might Be a Liberal If...



You think that consenting adults can engage freely in every activity except capitalism.



You named your children Moonglow and Arizona.



You think the really alarming violence takes place outside the abortion clinic.



You've ever referred to the ''root cause'' of something.



You pray to ''The Woman Upstairs.''



You think we never gave peace a chance.



You had to be told that ''Manhattan,'' ''menopause,'' and ''boycott'' were

not sexist words.



You begin sentences with the words ''I feel.''



Your driver's license has a hyphen because for you one last name just

isn't enough.



You don't think ''All in the Family'' is a very funny program, but watch

it anyway because Meathead makes a lot of sense.



You think O.J. is out looking for the real killers.



You think Julia Sugarbaker is an astute social commentator.



You think it takes a village.



You think that the words ''to promote the general welfare'' in the

Constitution mean to promote welfare generally.



You think that, even though more people voted against him than for him in

both the 1992 and the 1996 presidential elections, Bill Clinton had a

mandate.



You think that conservatives, like preservatives, ought to be federally

regulated.



You ever wore earth shoes.



You have ever wondered out loud, ''Why can't we all just get along?''



You think the New York Times prints all the news that's fit.



You think that Rush Limbaugh is just an entertainer.



You spent Columbus Day reading ''Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.''



You reach the limits of your talent and then complain that you ran into a

glass ceiling.



You wear more ribbons on your lapel than in your hair.



You think that the really dangerous McCarthy was Joe, not Eugene.



You blame the Unabomber's parents.



You fail to see the connection between Lenin and Lennon.



You have ever agreed with Martin Sheen or Barbra Streisand.





Way to go guy - great stuff!

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THE DAY OF THE LONG KNIVES DRAWS CLOSER



According to this story in the Newsletter, the noose is tightening around Trimbles neck. Whilst I hold no candle for Trimble, my question is not so much WHO will replace him, but why replace only him when it is the entire cabal around him that has to go. I mean by this McGimpsey, Nesbitt, McNarry, Empey. That the latter name is being talked up as an alternative is madness - Empey supported every move Trimble made. He never rebelled, he never said Boo. The UUP's problems extend way beyond the MP for Upper Bann. This Party does not need pruning, it needs root and branch revolution if it is t have ANY future. Has the penny dropped or is this just greedy self-serving MLA's jostling for command of the wheel of a political Titanic?



Update: The plot thickens....

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TEENAGE TERRORISTS!



Arafat's disingenous use of teenage terrorists is exposed on Honest Reporting.com. What kind of monster is this geriatric Egyptian? Also, where is the coverage of this amongst the Western media? Could it be that instinctive bias against Israel is never far from the surface?

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F****** KERRY



I enjoyed this laugh on the Drudge Report re Kerry's web site. What the f*** is going on!!!

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GREEK TO ME!



I can't say that I have been avidly following the Greek political scene, but I was pleased to see the fall of the Socialist Government and it's replacement with New Democracy - an allegedly "Conservative" Party. I am a bit dubious that Greece could produce any truly authentically Conservative Government but anything must be better after 23 YEARS of Socialist rule. Let's hope that in this Olympic year, the flame of conservatism really will burn over Greece.

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ARMED AER LINGUS?



I am pleased to see that the Irish Government has concluded that it must allow US Marshalls on flights from Ireland to the USA. This strikes me as common sense and good news for those of us who fly the Atlantic. After 9/11, it is important that Aircraft are never exposed to the same dangers. I think the terrorists will fear this move as they can never tell if the person next to them is a trained Air Marshall. Well done Bertie - wonder if you had any choice?

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>> 7 Mar 2004

TOUGH TIMES IN BAGHDAD



The Islamic Jihadists in Iraq are doing their best to stop democracy establishing form roots. The news of more explosions in Baghad on the eve of the signing of an interim constitution is as predictable as it is worrying to those who have family members serving in Iraq. What bothers me is the way the liberal westerm media present these terrorist attacks, with their woe and doom attitude. This is what provides hope to the Islamofascists and hope is the last thing they should be given. I would like to see sustained and remorseless military pressure brought to bear on the Jihadists - they need pulverished into the ground so that Iraq can rise up as a beacon of light and freedom in the darkened world of the Middle East.

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HOW TO LOVE BIG BROTHER



I wonder did the Government approve of this propaganda article in the Sunday Times today? It appears that the ST only could find people who just love the idea of the freedom to smoke being taken from them by Nanny State. Fantastic news - now what other liberties will these sheep accept being stripped off? Baaaaa..

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ADAMS WAS IN THE IRA!!!



So now St John of Foyle has declared that he knows that Gerry Adams was in the IRA! This "news" is akin to suggesting that he world is round. The better question might be to ask when did Adams leave the IRA, why and in what circumstances? Clearly he could not still be in it otherwise he would need to be immediately arrested for being part of the most bloodthirsty terrorist group in western Europe. And if we did that then we wouldn't have a peace process...boo hoo...

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