Gabrielle Giffords shot, child dead and staffers and others injured

Rep. Giffords with her husband Capt. Mark E Kelly NASA Astronaut

The news this evening that Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has been shot  point blank shot to her head while out campaigning is harrowing news. The fact that some of her staffers and others in the grocery store when she was holding her first Congress on Your Corner were hurt or killed sadly highlights that in some cultures where guns are readily available, reaching out into the community isn't always safe. The fact is that a nine year old child has died and eight others are being treated, four others along with the congresswoman in a critical state.

Read the rest of this post here.

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Two Wrongs Don't Make a Righteous Crusade

Sitting in my late father's study while I work I'm reminded that both he and my mother taught Religious Education, my mother was actually head of department. One of the things that reminds me is the shelf of books on comparative religions that sits to the right of me as I work.

There is one pile in the middle of that shelf that is all about Islam. Some of those books I have read myself and indeed there are other books in my own collection that are also about Islam including my own copy of the Koran.

Therefore the fact that the Dove World Outreach Center in Florida is planning a 'Burn the Koran Day' for 11 September is a sad indictment. Maybe the American way doesn't teach about other religions and their beliefs in the way that multi-cultural Britain does.

But the blogger Gay Patriot does pose an interesting question:

"How is a Florida church burning the Koran on 9/11 any different than an Islamist-inspired mosque being built in the Ground Zero debris zone?"

In his opinion "None. Both have the right to do it. But it isn't the right thing to do." but I'm going to disagree.

There is a difference. One is a incitement to hatred an act borne out of hatred fundamentalism. The other is trying to foster understanding and normality, showing that fundamentalism isn't all their is in religion.

The former of course is the church in Florida, the second is the Islamic education centre that is looking to be set up in Manhattan.

There are forgotten victims of the 9-11 monstrosity, the innocent Muslim workers in the World Trade Centre. Not the terrorists but those who were working alongside their fellow man in those twin towers. Those who also lost their lives. Their families also come to Ground Zero on 9-11 to remember their dead, they then have to travel far away to find a Mosque that they can offer their prayers up in.

The vast majority or Muslims are not fundamentalists, however there is also a minority of Christians who are fundamentalists. Have any of the members of the Dove World Outreach Center actually opened a Koran to read it? Have any of them ever learnt what it means to be a everyday Muslim? Have any of them ever ventured into a Muslim community or lived alongside a Muslim community day to day to see them going about their lives?

Fighting fundamentalism with fundamentalism is not the way to go, that leads to religious wars, to crusades or jihad. It is just what this intolerance is, even the American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calls it 'disrespectful and disgraceful'.



With freedom of speech comes responsibility, as I was rewatching Footloose last night I was reminded of John Lithgow's character the Pastor coming upon a book burning outside the school. He said:

"It is not the words in there that are bad, it's what's in here." (tapping on his heart)

Maybe that is the salient lesson for those in Florida to look first into themselves.

Tea Party Homophobic Extremists

On the night of the 6-7 October 1998 Matthew Shepherd, a 21-year-old student at the University of Wyoming, was out for the night in Laramie. Shortly after midnight he met Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson at the Fireside Lounge. They offered him a lift but they drove him to a rural area once they heard he was gay and pistol whipped and robbed him then tied him to a fence (below). It was not until 18 hours later that Shepherd was discovered, after initially being mistaken for a scarecrow in a coma, suffering major head injuries. He died 5 days later on 12 October.



His horrendous murder led to statewide and federal hate crime legislation, however, the Tim Ravndal, President of the Tea Party in Montana feels this is a laughing matter as in this Facebook exchange shows.


In response to the original comment:

"I think fruits are decorative. Hang up where they can be seen and appreciated. Cal Wyoming for display instructions."

Ravndal replies, "Where can I get that Wyoming printed instruction manual?"

The response obviously pinpoints the Shepherd case as if the original comment wasn't clear enough as it was an case that sparked international and national outrage. The fact that Tea Party supporters and leaders, which is growing in popularity, can be so blazé about hate crime is worrying and indeed frightening.

We already know the measures that far right Americans will go to in reversing equality legislation. Legislation that is there for the benefit of the minority being sought to be overturned or blocked by a vocal, misinformed or misguided group, stirring up bigotry enough to get a majority. It is something we have seen happen before in the 1930s and 40s which America didn't wake up to in their cosy little world until it started to affect them. The problem is that it is occurring again now right on their doorsteps and they don't seem to realise and are in some cases actually be swept along with it.

There is the Islamaphobia, the homophobia at present which are getting whipped up purely from irrational misinformation. The case for defending Proposition 8 in the USA was a prime example of that. To show how irrational it is look at the same groups campaigning against same-sex divorce in Texas, so they are fighting same sex-marriage and also a means to dissolve same-sex marriages that are legally recognised, how irrational is that?

The Tea Party are a group that is looking to shift America to the right, far right. They are coming in by stealth at a time when right leaning Americans are concerned that sitting near the centre is a place where they are not differentiated from the Democrats enough, but it is a shift which takes the humanity out of the achievements of the past.

So much for "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."

Does Barack Obama Read My Blog?

I'm not sure if PoTUS* reads my humble little blog. I did get a number of hits from Washington yesterday so you never know. However, I do know we are on the same wavelength over what I posted yesterday.

Speaking after a Muslim Iftar dinner, breaking the daily Ramadan fast, last night at the White House he said:

"We must all recognise and respect the sensitivities surrounding the development of lower Manhattan, Ground Zero is, indeed, hallowed ground. But let me be clear, as a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country.

"That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community centre on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances. This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakeable. The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country, and will not be treated differently by their government, is essential to who we are."

Well done to President Obama for taking a stance for what is right and enshrined in the constitution against the upsurge of of Islamaphobia. Separating out the rights of ordinary law abiding Muslims from the responsibility to deal with Al-Queda and other terrorist groups who are not a true representation of their faith. Showing respect for the victims, all victims, of Al-Queda including those on 9-11 and the many Muslim victims too.

A President who is calm enough to get the facts straight, to keep the Constitution in mind and show balance in his comments is someone worthy of the job. If you are reading this Mr President keep up the rational thought patterns even it all around you seem to be losing theirs.



* President of the US for all non-West Wing fan readers.

The Land of the Free Neglecting the First Amendment

O! say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

There are estimated to be between 2.54 and 7 million Muslims living the the USA, 37% of that number are Caucasian, 24% black, 20% Asian, 4% Hispanic and the rest mixed race. That is between 0.8 and 2.3% of the total population. Currently there are just over 1,200 mosques in the country but that number is in danger of finding it very hard to grow.

The reason for such negativity on a Friday morning is the growing outrage against any mosque across the USA. All of this has recently risen out of the groundswell of openly hostile opposition to the one proposed in downtown Manhattan close to Ground Zero where one stood the twin towers of the World Trade Centre. But it is not just in New York but in Florida, California, Georgia, Connecticut and Tennessee amongst other states that opposition and blatant Islamophobia is taking form.

The First Amendment of the USA's constitution enshrines two things Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Speech. Indeed the Supreme Court has ruled that "government should not prefer one religion to another, or religion to irreligion" of course that doesn't stop to the people and islamophobes in their midst.

Many of the people opposed to new Islamic centres and mosques and those who defend without question the Second Amendment the right to bear arms, which surely is the one that needs revisiting as the militia of the founding fathers has now been replaced by a large and world dominating professional army. So why is the second amendment being held so precious by some yet they are ignoring the fundamentals of the first.

As the article in the Guardian points out where significant numbers of Protestants, Catholics or Jews want to congregate for worship the local towns will not raise issues of traffic, parking or whatever excuse they are using to block a new meeting place being set up indeed most often it will go through unhindered and unquestioned. With the Muslims however that is what is being used and now it is even being open 'racism' against immigrants from a nation of immigrants, even those as I pointed out many will not be differentiated from the general population.

If people in America are going to overlook their First Amendment and not allow freedom of religion to one religious group then their whole Bill of Rights is open as a fraud. What they claim to hold dear isn't worth the paper it was written on even if it is on carefully guarded display in the National Archives.

If they are saying of one group you can't congregate here they are ghettoising in a form of religious apartheid (I have used those two words for a reason based on their original usage). So much for the land of the free!

Read Also: Spiderplant's take on the wingnuts

Quote of the Day: Cardinal Keith O'Brien

I'll wait while regular readers are picking their jaws up off their keyboards as have in fact just awarded the irregularly presented Quote of the Day on this blog to the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland. For this:

"In many states - more than half - they kill the perpetrators of horrible crimes, by lethal injection or even firing squad - I say that is a culture of vengeance.

"An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth - that is not our culture in Scotland and I would like to think that the US government, and these states that do still have capital punishment, would learn something from us."

It is in response to the USA attitude to the release of the Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi. It is quite a courageous stance for a Church leader to remind the nation that has "In God We Trust" on its currency to remember the teaching of the Sermon of the Mount and pull them out of the Old Testament vengeful tendency. So his is to applauded for his stance and his backing of the stance not to sent Parliamentarians from the UK or Scotland to stand before a US committee he added:

"The Scottish government has made the decision and the Scottish government is answerable to the Scottish people - not the US government or US citizens.

"Everyone acted according to Scots law in releasing Megrahi on compassionate grounds, having taken medical advice.

"I still think they did the right thing, although the man is still alive.

"We shouldn't be crawling out to America, or having them come here and questioning us on our own territory."

Fisking the AFA Over Judge Walker Impeachment Call

Well it is a little over 24 hours since Judge Vaughan Walker ruled that Proposition 8 was unconstitutional. Well tonight I've just received a mailing list from the American Family Association (AFA), who else, calling for the judged impeachment.

Time for a little fisking in red.

August 5, 2010


Dear Friend,

Well if you are going to add me to your alert list when I sign up to your site to complain, feel free to call me a friend.

Yesterday (August 4), U.S. District Chief Judge Vaughn Walker single-handedly overturned California's Prop. 8, which elevated protection for one-man, one-woman marriage to its state constitution.

As far as I'm aware equal marriage rights does nothing to infringe on the rights of one-man to take one-woman (or indeed a series of women) to he his lawfully married wife (wives). The proponents of gay marriage are saying that each man should be cleaved to another man and each woman to another woman in matrimony. They are protecting current existing marriage but expanding it's availability to everyone irrespective of sexual orientation.

In doing so, he frustrated the expressed will of seven million Californians who went to the polls to shape their state's public policy on marriage.

The vote was 7,001,408 for Prop 9 52.24% and 6,401,482 against. Indeed the Proposition was called 'California Marriage Protection Act' as if the act of heterosexual marriage was under some kind of threat. If there was such scaremongering in the naming it is surprising it didn't pass more comfortably.

As Alex Foster pointed out earlier this is the only occasion that equal marriage has been overturned anywhere in the world after it has been introduced. Also should majority rights be put to a majority vote. If they did every time would America still allow slavery, at least in certain states? Would apartheid still be practised in the southern states? Minority rights need to be protected that is what the judge stood up for.

Since marriage policy is not established anywhere in the federal Constitution, defining marriage, according to the 10th Amendment, is an issue reserved for the states. Judge Walker never should have accepted this case in the first place.

Actually that same constitution separates Church and State. The State is to rule as a secular body and take the whims or fancies of the Catholic and Mormon churches who heavily supported Prop 8 and the legal defence in this case to task.

Under Judge Walker, it's no longer "We the People," it's "I the Judge."

In addition, Judge Walker is an open homosexual, and should have recused himself from this case due to his obvious conflict of interest.

Hang on! Wouldn't an openly heterosexual and religious Judge also have had to excuse themselves on that reckoning. Should we then only appoint judges who aren't prepared to make tough decisions, it would make things so much easier.

Some facts about Judge Walker he was a Reagan nominee. Talk about conservative. The current Democrat speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, opposed his appointment because of his alleged 'insensitivity' to gays and the poor.

What can be done?

Fortunately, the Founders provided checks and balances for every branch of government, including the judicial branch. Federal judges hold office only "during good Behaviour," and if they violate that standard can be removed from the bench.

These checks and balances are also what the judges have the right to uphold the constitution when a state proposition goes against the ethos of the founders.

Judge Walker's ruling is not "good Behaviour." He has exceeded his constitutional authority and engaged in judicial tyranny.

When we are talking about good behaviour lets look at one of the two Prop 8 witnesses who must have perjured himself under oath by saying that a child is 12 times more likely to be abused by a gay, when the government findings, as I wrote yesterday, indicate that the overwhelming majority over 100 times more likely to be a heterosexual person. And most common someone known to the child.

Judges are not, in fact, unaccountable. They are accountable to Congress, which can remove them from office.

Impeachment proceedings, according to the Constitution, begin in the House of Representatives. It's time for you to put your congressman on record regarding the possible impeachment of Judge Walker.

Sincerely,

Tim Wildmon, President
American Family Association

So there you have it, that is what the AFA want to do next, instead of actually paying to put up a good defence of their cause in court, they relied on myths and falsehoods and a poor performance. Sore losers, scaremongers and perjurers. Jumping straight to impeach rather than the Supreme Court shows desperation and a need to attack the LGBT, which only has two openly gay judges in the entire USA.

Truth, Justice and the American Gay (Well Californian Anyway)

Judge Vaughn Walker has today made an historic ruling in California when he said that Proposition 8 which overturned the State allowing same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. Not just in California State constitution but under the US Constitution. He said in his ruling that it violated the equal protection clause.

Following a lengthy court case brought by two couples. Against Prop 8 there was witnesses stating that allowing gay marriage would help the mental health of gays and lesbians, give more legal protection to their children, reduce discrimination and give gay couples more political power.

Those in support called just two witnesses who argued that retaining the ban would protect children and traditional marriage. One of them even cited unfounded figures that gays were twelve times more likely to abuse children. When one study in the US by the Child Welfare Information Gateway actually says. "A child's risk of being molested by his or her relatives' heterosexual partner is over one hundred times greater than by someone who might be identifiable as being homosexual." Indeed in that same study of 269 cases of child sex abuse, only two offenders where found to be gay or lesbian. Which actually means it is 100 times more likely that child abuse is carried out by someone identifying as a heterosexual.

I'm glad that the myths being purported as science were seen through by the judge who made his judgement. The scaremongering of the Prop 8 supporters has been stopped dead, and now for the first time they have been ruled unconstitutional, although this being the US I expect it will on to a higher level of the legislature.

But in the meantime it is right to celebrate this breakthrough as Lori Jean chief executive of the Gay and Lesbian Centre said:

"Today’s historic decision by the federal district court is clearly a milestone victory for all gay, lesbian and bisexual Californians, our families and our friends. But much more than that, it is a resounding affirmation of fundamental American ideals and core principles of the US Constitution.

"Almost from our very beginnings, one of the exceptional hallmarks of our nation’s progress has been the expansion of our concepts of liberty and justice to include those of us who were not initially considered fully equal, or who were perhaps not even considered at all.

"Although it has often taken years of struggle, we have seen profound advancements in the recognition of the full citizenship of women, of African-Americans, and of countless other ethnic, religious and social minorities.

"These changes have come about through a continually broadening public understanding of who we all are, and of the common bonds and aspirations that we all share."

The Judge said in his ruling:

"The evidence shows conclusively that moral and religious views form the only basis for a belief that same-sex couples are different from opposite-sex couples."

and also that California "has no interest in differentiating between same-sex and opposite-sex unions."

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger praised the ruling saying:

"For the hundreds of thousands of Californians in gay and lesbian households who are managing their day-to-day lives, this decision affirms the full legal protections and safeguards I believe everyone deserves," the governor said. "At the same time, it provides an opportunity for all Californians to consider our history of leading the way to the future, and our growing reputation of treating all people and their relationships with equal respect and dignity."

As of today following Judge Walker's ruling city and state officials in California are to stop imposing the ban on same sex marriage.

The White Vera Wang

It is often said that Aaron Sorkin's West Wing was based on the Clinton White House. So there was a little hint of live imitating art at yesterday's 'royal' wedding in New York State.

The only dress designer to feature in the title of West Wing episode was Vera Wang in the third season episode The Black Vera Wang in which CJ was put under secret service protection. Yesterday Chelsea Clinton walked down the aisle on the arm of President Clinton in an ivory Vera Wang gown.

The mother of the bride the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will have been glad that unlike Josiah Bartlett's daughter's wedding there wasn't an international crisis pending that required her attention in the situation room to the last possible minute.

Vera was born of Chinese-born parents in New York, her mother was a translator at the United Nations and her father owned a medical business. She was a pairs figues skater but in the 1968 US Championships failed to make the Olympic team. Figure skating's loss became the fashion industries gain.

As well as Chelsea's dress and the mention in The West Wing she also designed Charlotte's wedding dress in Sex and the City. Her wedding gowns are a reknowned part of her fashion house, but she also has designed skating outfits for Nancy Kerrigan, Michelle Kwan and Evan Lysacek which have earned her a place in the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

Big GREEN Apple at Heart of the State of Empire

The news that the Empire State Building is to retrofit in an environmental way is great news and a great example. If the world's most iconic tall building can do this and produce 40% energy savings why can't the rest of the US and the World for that matter.

For the refit all 6,514 windows are to be stripped out, before being renovated with a insulating film and a mixture of inert gases. This will make them 4 times better at heat and coolness retention. At the high tech end the world largest wireless network will be set up allowing valves and vents to be controlled centrally. The four central chillers have been replaced with a smart air circulation systems installed.

The net effect of the 40% savings, which is what is being focused on for households on a smaller scale in the USA is 100,000 metric tonnes of carbon off their footprint over the next 15 years. The equivalent of taking 20,000 cars off the road. If this was replicated across just one fifth the large buildings in the USA it would amount to 2.3bn metric tonnes, or the amount of greenhouse gas pollution produced by the whole of Russia in a year.

Can it be done. Yes it can.

Senate Hearing From the International Outlaws of the World,,,

...OR why they are right to refuse...

...OR how America still thinks the West must be won


So Kenny MacAskill and Jack Straw have both said no to the US Senate enquiry on Megrahi. Tony Blair had apparently been invited and indeed his airfare would have been covered, although the Senate are saying this was a draft letter which had been leaked to the press.

However, when you look at the USA's record on implementing International Laws the fact that they are looking to have a hearing into a criminal tried under Scottish Law and released under Scottish jurisdiction on compassionate grounds show how the USA just do not get it. Here is a rundown on some of the human rights treaties that the USA has either not signed or ratified and the company they keep.

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) adopted 1979 USA has yet to ratify it although they have signing it in 1980. They team up with Iran, Nauru, Palau, Somalia, Sudan and Tonga.

Convention on the Rights of a Child (CRC) 1989 USA singed it in 1995 but it has yet to be presented to the Senate for approval. Only Somalia lines up as a fellow none participant.

Convention Against Enforced Disappearance 2006. Only 81 signatories (16 NATO allies) thus far and not in force but USA have not taken any action.

Mine Ban Treaty 1996. Again no action at all from the USA along with China, Russia and 34 other nations.

Convention on Cluster Weapons 2008. Signed by the majority of NAO nations and many other US Allies. But only half the 30 ratifications needed to trigger the convention. Of course the USA are not in the 98 signatories.

Tellingly The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) 2006 enforced in 20088 with 140 signatories. You know the score, no action from the USA.

Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) 2002 enforced since 2006. Signatories include include the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Austria, France, Spain, the Czech Republic, New Zealand, Brazil, and Mexico. But not the USA.

So before the USA start to probe into another nations legal system and release decisions maybe they should look at their own record on international issue. They have a poor record in signing up to or implementing international actions. so what right do they have to want to interfere. I personally feel that MacAskill, Straw, Blair et al are quite correct in refusung to turn up at the pleasure of the international outlaws of our world. If the USA is not going to support the rights of others as many other states have they have no right to interfere in the humanity of others.

The American Colonial Anthem: If Things Had Turned Out Differently

With the growth of the tea party movement I got to thinking what would have happened if in Boston harbour the tea hand't been poured over the side of the M.V. William into the water as a protest to the colonial power.

So with apologies to my American friends who don't have a sence of humour and none whatsoever to those that get Python or Douglas Adams, here is a reworking of the Star Spangled Banner to reflect a different historical outcome.

Oh, say! let's make tea by the dawn's early light

What so proudly we drink after the William's last sailing;
Whose broad leaves and sweet taste, form a marvelous sight,

O'er the remnants of sleep we're so gallantly beating?

And the cooker's red glare, the steam bursting in air,

Gave proof through the morn that our water was boiled:
Oh, say! does that milk jug get used before the tea pot*
O'er the land of the tea and the home of the Queen?

On the bench, dimly seen through the mists of the sleep,

Where the tea's many leaves in dried teabags reposes,
What is that which the pot, o'er the strainer keep,
As it fitfully flows, half for now, half for later?

Now it catches the steam of the morning's first cup,

In full glory released now shines as we sup:
'Tis the good morning cuppa! Oh, long may it serve

O'er the land of the tea and the home of the Queen!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of tea and the coffee's confusion

A home and a country should leave us no more?

Their coke has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution!

Infusion made by the hireling and slave
For the master at night or mistress's parlour:

And the cross stitch or knitting in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the tea and the home of the Queen.

Oh, thus be it ever, when teapots shall stand
Into our loved home and the tealeaf's infusion!

Sweet with sugar and milk, or without neither's bland
Praise the Power that is made and pour out for us a nation!

Then infuse we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In Tea is our trust":

And the perforated bag in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the tea and the home of the brave.

*Have to use the multiple beats in sta-ar spa- angle-ed banner here.

Daniel Radcliffe to Record Ad for LGBT Youth Helpline

There were two things that struck me about Daniel Radcliffe's interview in Attitude magazine last year. The first was obviously that he'd said he would be voting Liberal Democrat in his first general election vote, the second was how tuned in and comfortable he was for such a young, straight star with LGBT issues.

Therefore it isn't really a surprise that Daniel is willing to record an ad for a LGBT youth helpline in the US. Speaking of the project on MTV Radcliffe said:

"The Trevor Project is the only [US] nationwide around-the-clock crisis- and suicide-prevention help line [of its kind]. [It's designed] for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. There will also soon be a 'Trevor' iPhone application."

Summing why he should tie himself to such a cause Daniel said, "You don't have to be gay to be a supporter — you just have to be human."Going on he said:

"Some are gay, some are straight — didn't make any difference to me. When I went to my secondary school, I heard terms like 'poof' and 'homo' getting thrown around. It never occurred to me that some people might have a problem with it."

It is liable to cause some shock that a prominent, young star is so willing to associate himself with a LGBT charity. But I think it is just the kick up the backside that some American's need. In this months Gay Times, American Idol runner up Adam Lambert told how unlike Danyl Johnson he refused to gender sensitive a lyric and hide his sexuality. Speaking of the song Fever by Lady Gaga on his new album For Your Entertainment in which he references a male love interest he says:

"She asked me, ' What shall we do about it?' and I answered 'I think I should say it.' 'So do I,' she said. It was funny because we realised a lot of radio stations out here probably won't play it because of that gender reference, literally because of that one line, they won't play the song.

"The bit that I think is really f***** up is that we as the entertainment community could help if it just said 'Deal with it people.' But instead it is so fearful tat people are going to object, boycott and complain that they cave in."

So well done to Daniel for not being afraid. I'm sure I'll soon see the American Family Association having another reason to complain about the last Harry Potter movies now, but I'm glad that the young Brits can show what it means to be human. Indeed living up to Matthew 25:35 'I was a stranger and you took me in' so much more that certain 'christian' groups seem to want to extend their charity to 'least of men', or rather of course not.

Proud to be a Politico

I'm proud to be referred to a Politico, it is a word that predates the Internet, one quick Internet search shows it appears in Webster's dictionary in 1913. In the UK there are Labour politicos, Lib Dem Politicos, Green Politicos and Tory Politicos.

One of the latter is of course Tory Politico but heaven forbid that the might of corporate legislative America should claim that a word in common parlance should be copyrighted and used exclusively by them. But that is what they have done to Tory Politico.

I note that this company claiming copyright has a Wikipedia page which states that they were founded on 27 January 2007. Now forgive me if I'm wrong but I seem to recall Tory Politco being around before that. I know blogs come and go and the old memory of who started when is a little shady.

Their lawyers claims that unsurprising for an English language blog based in the UK that the second most populous country for hits is the USA. Well I dare any UK blog to check their hits and prove otherwise, unless they specialise in Australia or Canadian subjects of interest. For each month I've been tracking the USA is my second most common country of traffic origin, I'm glad the American's have taste and some of them check out UK angles on US stories.

The also claim that Tory Politico's template is similar to theirs.

Let me see:

• Header Check although Tory Politico uses larger font and centres his title
  
• List of stories Check but then we all do that
  
• Sidebar right Check but then we all do that (or should) for Mobile viewing
• Colours red, white and blue Check watch out Union Flag you're next with your colour scheme
• Ads Not Check yeah Tory Politico is ad free but they are all over the Politico

I'm sorry that anyone thinks that Americans are stupid enough to confuse Tory Politico's reporting of UK politics with The Politico's reporting of US politics. I would have thought that the lack of daily Obama stories, congressional race intrigue or Senate Filibusters may have been a give away. Facing attacks on Gordon Brown or praise for David Cameron may just have given that away.

Tory Politico is standing his ground to use a word of Italian and Spanish origin that some US ENGLISH blog claims is their word. This blog stand shoulder to should with them. The NFL earlier this week almost tried to imposed image rights on the fleur-de-lys after the Freedom Fries the French would have been bombing NFL HQ.

UPDATE I noticed that someone on TP's comments has spotted that Politoco's (oops sorry that is Iain Dale's trademank) the lawyer of Politoco is called Dow Lohnes, maybe we should all alert the New York Stock Exchange that someone is using a name very similar to their index to add gravitas to their stupudity.

Hat tip to Iain Dale.

US Accused of Annexing Haiti Airport

The supply lines of aid to Haiti are apparently incredibly splintered right now.

The airport at Port-au-Prince has been handed over by the Haitian government to US military control, the UN mission is Haiti is under the control of Brazil however. But while US Military flights are getting prioritised to the airport non-US flights, often carrying aid, are being diverted to the Dominican Republic. This is what has happened to Médecins Sans Frontières and Red Cross supply flights and is leading to tensions with the US over the control of access to the airport and therefore the people who need the aid. The turning away of supply flights is leading to 24 hour delays of these resources getting where they are needed.

When Ban Ki-Moon was in Haiti yesterday he said that the UN were feeding 40,000 people and hoped to raise this to 1m within a fortnight. Problem is that many of that million will be needing such support a whole lot quicker than that. That case is evidenced by the population turning on itself to try and feed itself, and the swift and brutal retribution carried out against looters. Currently the US Military presence has been barracked at the Airport but it needs to be spread out amongst the people to help the 3,000 Haitian police maintain law and order.

Giuliani Rewritting History of War on Terror

I'm going to change topic for this post. I'm heading a little further West.

During his failed Presidential nomination Rudy Giuliani the former Mayor of New York didn't stop reminded the people of America that he was there during the 9/11 attacks on his city. It was his claim to being the man to deal with the big questions.

Today however, he is getting so caught up in Republican rhetoric against Barack Obama that he is trying to turn the attempted Christmas Day attack against the President. On Good Morning America this morning he claimed, "we had no domestic attacks under Bush — we've had one under Obama."

Now as I and the rest of the world seem to recall in a school room in Florida President Bush was alerted to the fact that there was a potential incident going on in New York. I checked, my memory wasn't failing me. YouTube backed it up.




The Republicans are full of negative campaigning. They don't seem to ask what Jesus would have done about healthcare. Reading my new testament not once does he ask "Do you have insurance?" before performing a healing miracle. Yet they insist that the man who was accused of mixing with sinners and prostitutes would have condemned then to Katrina, or Asia to the Tsunami that hit.

Now they are even deleting history to try and point the finger at a Democrat. Hardly being truthful and certainly not WWJD.

World Leaders to Pull an All Nighter in Copenhagen

Recently reading my student friend's updates on Facebook or Twitter I've seen numerous of them stating that they were pulling "all-nighters" to get the end of term essays finished. The latest news from Copenhagen is that the Danes are telling the world leaders not to go anywhere just yet on what is meant to be the last day of the Climate Change Summit.

Of course all nighters at the end of a period of discussion can get a result. The Northern Irish Agreement was meant to have been concluded on Maundy Thursday, it was only as a result of an all-nighter that the Agreement was made and the far more friendly Good Friday Agreement came into being.

President Obama sat down for an hour with the Chinese leader Wen Jiabao for an hour earlier in a head to head of what many correspondents see as the two key players in getting a global agreement settled. However, BBC News has just stated that President Obama is on his way to the airport and Air Force One to head to his Christmas vacation on Hawaii. He had earlier said he had come "not to talk, but to act". Whereas the Chinese Premier said:

"To meet the climate change challenge, the international community must strengthen confidence, build consensus, make vigorous efforts and enhance co-operation."

Apparently the major stumbling block at the moment is the American $100bn a year fund to help the developing countries business to develop in a green way. The Americans are wanting assurances that this is what the money will be going towards, the Chinese who are heading up the G77 of the developing nations is urging the USA to trust them to make sure this is what happens.

There are still poles of difference between these two major players, but it may be down to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to move the issue onwards if an agreement is to be made before the world heads away from Copenhagen. President Sarkozy of France however is saying that the Chinese are the ones currently holding up the talks.

UPDATE: Within half an hour of me first hearing this the BBC are now stating that the UN Secretary General's office is denying that such an edict to world leaders has been issued. However, I'm saying why not?

What Bank Ki Moon's office is saying is that they are still hoping to reach an agreement in a few hours, without the need for overnight discussions. Although it may no longer be a Treaty but an Accord that is signed and that a deadline (2010) to sign up for a legally binding agreement may be omitted from the final text.

FURTHER UPDATE: Latest Facebook update at 16:15 from Lib Dem MEP for Scotland George Lyon does not make for good reading.

Sarah Palin Carry On Delusioned

Sarah Palin is writing in the Guardian today about why the man who kept out of the VP's office should not attend Copenhagen. As you would expect from a climate change denier such as the former Governor of Alaska it is full of holes.

She talks about the 'serious cuts' that America is making, countering it with the increase being allowed by China and India. There is one issue here the cuts that Obama is making is only going to take the US down 3% on 1990 levels, which is actually behind where most of the rest of the developed world already is beyond. The thing is that America wasn't allowed to increase it carbon emissions the way that it did under Bush and republican lead houses that batted away attempts by Clinton to bring about a change. If anything the serious cuts from America are long overdue and too little at this time.

She also goes on to say that carrying out the proposed cuts will put America at an economic and competitive disadvantage. Well she is clearly ignoring the economic and competitive advantage that the USA has benefited from by ignoring the directives of Kyoto while others of us have pushed for reductions. Indeed instead of job losses it has seen more inventiveness and jobs moving in other directions. Indeed when I was studying environmental economics 20 years ago at University it was of the considerations that we addressed. There where several major difference that had to be made.

• The things that were produced
• What they were produced from (i.e. recycling rather than finite raw material)
• How we went about producing them
• How the workers environment changed to meet the challenge (this was mainly the home working model)

So if twenty years ago we were aware of the issue what happened in East Anglia after that is one thing that will have no impact. As someone who isn't a johnny come lately to the argument but spent a good part of my University years studying this and the economic impacts and been a keen follower of developments since I can say that Sarah once again has shown her ignorance of the facts.

However, she does speak a few lines of sense in her Comment is Free piece. One of the them is:

"Our representatives in Copenhagen should remember that good environmental
policymaking is about weighing real-world costs and benefits."

She is right. But from ready her article she makes the very basic economic mistake in thinking that all costs and benefits are measured in GDP. In the real world our social, environmental and sustainability costs and benefits are all to be taken into consideration. If we didn't we'd all be working 25/7/365 because the financial costs are of such a great boon.

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all

It's been a nice quiet day at work, our contacts at the client's HQ are all busy basting their Turkey's etc for Thanksgiving.

So happy thanksgiving to all of you and Courage the Turkey who is heading to Disneyland, not merely to have fun on the rides but to live.

For sports fans there are of course a few traditional Thanksgiving Day games on.

In the NFL Detroit Lions host the Green Bay Packers, my own team the Dallas Cowboys are hosting the Oakland Raider and in the Mile High City the Denver Broncos are hosting the New York Giants.

If hoops are more you thing, the Atlanta Hawks have Orlando Magic calling, while the Utah Jazz are playing cordial host to Chicago Bulls.

But for those who like their American sport on skates you are going to have to head to Canada who have already had thanksgiving. Columbus Blue Jackets visit the Ottawa Senators, while the LA Kings are making the trip all the way up the West Coast to play the Vancouver Canucks. No action for Courage's new neighbours and cousin the Anaheim Mighty Ducks though.

Can You Tell Me How To Get.....

It clearly is a good year to turn 40. Not only yours truly but total is the turn of PBS educational staple from the Children's Television Workshop. Just hope Cookie Monster doesn't eat all our online cookies to mark the day.



Anyway Happy Birthday Sesame Street and by way of celebration how about a classic 1970's opening title.



My nickname in one of the civil service jobs I did was after this guy. Can't see the reason myself.



I also remember this tune, animation and how to count to 12 in this way.



This blog post was brought to you by the letters H and B and the number 40.