What are the seven [7] best things you did this past year?

From James Higham........and these are mine

1] Bought a new computer and started blogging.
2] Agreed to trek in Feb 2007 for Breast Cancer Campaign (see my other blog)
3] Got involved in Blogpower with many of you.
4] Moved up the "meedja" ladder.
5] Didn't get another 3 points on my licence.
6] Had a fantastic weekend in Bordeaux in October and survived the Pyrennes in June!
7] Glad I didn't go to the World Cup.

Tags:
Eastcliffe Richard
Frances Oapen
Dr Simon Moores
Lucy Mail/Ramsgate Tourettes
Julia Buckley

Sashinka
Stephen Pollard
Tim Worstall
JohnnyB
Ellee Seymour
Barrybeelzebub
Pillage Idiot
Peter Wells' Coffin End Blog
Men are better than women
Onyx Stone
Chase me
Michelle Malkin
Adelaide Green Porridge Cafe
Gates of Vienna
Bel is thinking
The Spine
Strumpette
Petite Anglaise

This stupid country (3)

Also from yesterday's London Evening Standard.......this time news about another stupid decision. You see the English never see the "big picture". Hardly surprising, we've people in positions of authority, who in my opinion, are small-minded, minimalist, short-termist and lacking in vision. This is certainly the case when it comes to town planning matters. Aesthetics never come into it.

Museum St, SW7

The three museums in South Kensington-The Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the Victoria & Albert - are a remarkable cluster of cultural and educational institutions. Nearby there are other buildings of considerable importance, from the Serpentine Galery in Hyde Park to the Royal Albert Hall. Yet this area is divided by busy roads-Exhibition Road and Cromwell Road-which makes it difficult to see the buildings as part of a coherent whole. It can also make it a bleaky experience for visitors.
An imaginative solution has been propsed by Kensington & Chelsea Council, Westminster Council and the Mayor. This would involve redesigning Exhibition Road and the area around to make itmlore welcoming for pedestrians. The road would lose its narrow pavements and would be redesigned with bold markings, which, it is hoped, would cause cars to travel more slowly. There would be provision for good crossings for pedestrians at major junctions and centralised bus stops and space for taxis.
Unfortunately, this scheme has been turned down for inclusion for the shortlist for the Big Lottery fund on the grounds that it concentrates too heavily on road enhancements. This misses the point, which is that the redesign is not intended to benefit motorists, but to make the whole area more accessible and to help integrate important cultural institutions into a single space. The cost, at £25 million, is reasonable. Now an appeal is to be made for £5million from the Heritage Lottery Fund, with the rest made up by the Government. This eminently sensible scheme deserves support.

Of course, whether or not it gets it remains to be seen. I agree with the columns main thrust. For those of you who have visited the Spanish city of Valencia, you may have been impressed by the location of various museums and an aquatic centre, very easily accessed, in the centre of that remarkable city.

This stupid country

On a sign, actually three little signs, in the fruit counter below some biscuit tins, in Marks & Spencer - Temple Fortune - these words, well nearly............

"Offensive Weapons Act 2003. It is an offence to sell items which have sharp edges to persons under 16".

Woopeedoo. F***king buscuit tins are now deemed offensive weapons. It beggars belief doesn't it. Why didn't they put these signs all around the fruit shelves? I mean think of it, you can do real damage with a banana - and how about a pineapple thrown at you at full pelt from 3 yards? Could blind you.

Devil, do they have this bollocks in Edinburgh?

Or Tunbridge Wells, Iain?

This is the sort of stuff that ought to be discussed on 18Doughty Street

Neville Jacobs

My father (above in Burma c. 1944, just after the battle of Kohima) is staying with me for a few days.

This afternoon, we spent an hour or so in Golders Hill Park, literally a stones throw from the Bull & Bush and close to Hampstead Heath. Despite the lowish temperature today, the cafe's terrrace is a bit of a sun-trap. On most days, for nine months a year, (if it's not raining) you'll see the great and good of Golders Green nattering away to various family members about all subjects under the sun.

Today, it was just pleasant to hear my father reminiscing about the immediate post-war years and how he would have spent time in the park with my sister. "It was such a long time ago", he remarked. He's right!

"Spooks" on BBC last night

Melanie Phillips wrote this article following last week's episode.............

The British Bigotry Corporation

Although I didn’t see it, a number of people have reported that the BBC TV series ‘Spooks’ has been a sickening example of sheer unadulterated antisemitism, complete with conspiracy theory and accusations of dual loyalty. A reader writes:

Anti-Zionism may be unremarkable on the Beeb, but this skidded well over into antisemitism. The take-home message was that Al Qaeda are a bunch of amateurs and can be managed as a law-enforcement problem but the real danger are those devious, murderous, all-too-clever Jews. The main plot involves a group of ruthless Mid-East hijackers who take over a London embassy and shoot people every hour. They turn out (of course) to be Jews in disguise. We have a Jewish traitor in high places with dialogue invoking the classic ‘can’t serve two masters’ accusation: ‘I asked which side he would fight on in a war between Britain and Israel. He just gave me his answer.’ The plot also relies on the same argument as the 9/11 conspiracy theory that Mossad blew up the twin towers because Muslims aren’t smart enough: MI5 realise the baddies must be Jewish because they’re too clever for their own good (and merciless and self-serving, naturally). The Jews in this episode may not be drinking the blood of Christian children but they are certainly bloodthirsty. There is even a fat, heavy-featured Mossad officer looking evil and inscrutable as he mouths ’shalom’. Plus the ringleader gets a cathartic booting at the end from the hero which had me in mind of Kristallnacht.

Nor was this a one-off rush of blood to the BBC head. Eric Lee, who wrote about this double episode on his blog here was forced to return to it again here, since ‘Spooks’ has now used the ‘diabolical Israelis’ angle three weeks in a row. Are they really so short of plot ideas?
Only a few days ago, people were taken aback to read the brazen admissions of bias made by BBC bigwigs at their ‘impartiality’ seminar. But this is much more than political bias. This is deep, culturally embedded, venomous bigotry. Yet to my knowledge there has been no inquest at the BBC, no expressions of concern by staff, no sign of life from the Governors. Astounding.

What does one expect from the institutionally anti-semitic, anti-Zionist BBC?

Last night, "Israelis" were once again in a bizarre story-line. This time a supposed Mossad hit squad went after this weeks "Baddie". The "Baddie" got wasted, much to the annoyance of MI5 who couldn't tolerate such interference from a foreign power. Bless.

I wonder if the Devil cares about this?

Following the BA crucifix affair.....................

Overheard in a hospital earlier today:
Question: "Are you married?"
Old gentleman patient: "Sadly, yes."
Question: "Do you have any religion?"
Old gentleman patient: "No. I'm Church of England."

And he was not joking, our informant insists.


(Taken from the brilliant Samizdata Blog)