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Politicans and world leaders making news and in the news, and spouting hot air

John Prescott’s Son David Is Out Not In

john-prescott.jpgMUCH gnarling and washing of teeth in Hull East as David Prescott, son to John Prescott, is denied a chance to follow his dad as the local MP.

Says David in the Mirror: “There are interests out there who don’t want me to progress.”

Says a voice in the crowd: “Better out than in, that’s what I always say!”

Picture: Poldraw 

Posted: 17th, March 2008 | In: Politicians, Tabloids | Comment (1)


Dallas May Remove Traffic Cameras That Work Too Well

gatso.jpgIN The Dallas Morning News, an explantaion as to why there are cameras on roads. Why? To make money:

“Dallas City Hall has idled more than one-fourth of the 62 cameras that monitor busy intersections because many of them are failing to generate enough red-light-running fines to justify their operational costs, according to city documents…

That leaves Dallas government with a conundrum. Its red-light camera system has been an effective deterrent to motorists running red lights – some monitored intersections have experienced a more than 50 percent reduction. But decreased revenue from red light-running violations means significantly less revenue to maintain the camera program and otherwise fuel the city’s general fund.

Does the Government make money or save lives? Can it work out how many lives saved are tax payers..?

Posted: 16th, March 2008 | In: Politicians | Comment


Finland MP Wants ‘Love Vacation’ For Workers And An Identity

moomins.gifMORE new from the Finnish parliament where MP Tommy Tabermann (SDP) wants to grant all employees a paid 7-day annual “love vacation”.

During the seven days, couples could devote themselves to each other ”both at an erotic and emotional level” and ”find their way back to the path of love in order to find the wellspring of love again”.

Some MPs suspected that the proposal might discriminate against single persons, but others said that a love vacation would be the privilege of all, even the singles and the single parents.

Whether this is a good idea or not, we hesitate to say, more interested in how Finland is developing a repututaion as a European oddity.

The country formerty known as Finland Nil Pointsm needs a new identity, losing much of its international profile when Lordi won the Eurovsion song contest in 2006 and when the Moomins disappeared from children’s TV.

The country’s politicians are now vying to make Finland interesting to outsiders.

Matti Vanhanen, Finland’s prime minister, is partial to:

Matti Vanhanen, 52, prime minister since 2003, has been enjoying a wave of support since the disclosure that he likes to take a sauna before sex and enjoys his favourite meal of beef and baked potatoes afterwards.

And Finnish government bureaucrat Mikko Puumalainen wants to establish a Chinese-style governmental firewall on the internet to prevent Finns from reading websites that ‘strive to maintain an anti-immigrant political climate’ by e.g. publishing facts such as official statistics on crime rates.

The hope is that Finland can rise from mediocrity and come to stand for something…

Posted: 16th, March 2008 | In: Politicians, Strange But True | Comments (4)


The Real Obama And Jeremiah Wright

MATTHEW Yglesias finds the Real Obama:

Obama’s going to have a hard time explaining that I take to be the truth, namely that his relationship with Trinity has been a bit cynical from the beginning. After all, before Obama was a half-black guy running in a mostly white country he was a half-white guy running in a mostly black neighborhood. At that time, associating with a very large, influential, local church with black nationalist overtones was a clear political asset . . . . Since emerging onto a larger stage, it’s been the reverse and Obama’s consistently sought to distance himself from Wright, disinviting him from his campaign’s launch, analogizing him to a crazy uncle who you love but don’t listen to, etc.

Obam’as too slick to be caught to easily…

Posted: 16th, March 2008 | In: Politicians | Comments (12)


Sian Lloyd And Lembit Opik’s Ill Wind

lembit-opik.jpgIN “My relationship with oddball MP Lembit Opik, and why I’m glad it’s over”, Sian Lloyd tells the Mail on Sunday that she has move on.

Lembik Opik is now entwined with a Cheeky Girl.

Readers who want to know how Sian has moved on can read A Funny Kind Of Love, by Sian Lloyd.

In this extract, Sian recalls Opik telling her about a paragliding accident he’d been in. She recalls his words to her: “The wind just went flat and the chute had deflated into a rag. I dropped 80ft, fell like a rock. I broke my back in 12 places. Then my ribs, sternum, jaw, and I lost four teeth.”

Sian listens. She looks. “I wondered if that explained his slightly twisted but interesting face.”

The wind changed. And Lembit stayed like that. If only Opik had met Sian earlier, she could have warned him what weather lay in store. But this is not about looking back. This is about Sian moving on.

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Posted: 16th, March 2008 | In: Celebrities, Politicians, Tabloids | Comments (6)


Ben Dover Sticks It To The Dirty Digger’s Labour Party

ben-dover.jpgBEN Dover – which might not be his real name – could be the new General Secretary of the Labour Party.

Says the News of The World: “THEY’VE already got Ed Balls and Alistair Darling…but the Labour party could have had porn film king Ben Dover as GENERAL SECRETARY.”

Ed Balls is not a real porn name, nor is Alistair Darling. Both monikers appear to owe more to It Ain’t Half Hot Mum or anything by Hale & Pace. They are suggestive of camp comedy.

Ben Dover features such titles as The Porn Ultimatum, Hey Fatty Bum Bum and Porn Idol. He is the real thing.

Ben did not get the Labour Party job.

But Given his love of the pun, Ben may consider the job of picking the new Prime Minister and contact Mr Rupert Murdoch (aka Dirty Digger) about being News International’s next editor in chief…

Posted: 16th, March 2008 | In: Politicians, Tabloids | Comments (3)


Barack Obama, Jeremiah White And An Open Letter To White People

YOU’VE read Barack Obama’s priest Jeremiah Wright’s conspiracy theory sermon,
now read: Daily Kos: An Open Letter to White People.

Please let an old black man have his anger in the privacy of his church. After 400 years of what has been done to African-Americans, it is the least that we can do. Are our hearts so small and our need for reassurance so great that we cannot allow an old black man who dedicated his life to his community his anger? Are you honestly going to tell me that this is the first time white America has seen and heard from black folks? Have we not heard what Rabbis routinely say about Palestinians across the US? Even our military is told to call Iraqis and Afghanis “ragheads” and “Ali Baba” as a part of their training. Have we not heard what predominantly white churches say about immigrants, African-Americans, LGBTQ communities, and Islam? Jerry Falwell gets a hero’s farewell, as does Reagan, who thought gay people deserved to die of AIDS, but Wright, he must be punished severely and publicly humiliated.

Such is the level of political debate. Racism, Anti-Semitism. White Supremicism. This one’s got the lot…

Source 

Posted: 15th, March 2008 | In: Politicians | Comments (4)


Barack Obama Condemns Controversy

barack.jpgBARACK Obama is a man for the popular vote.

“All of the statements that have been the subject of controversy are ones that I vehemently condemn.”Barack Obama

What does he stand for? What do you want him to stand for?

Posted: 15th, March 2008 | In: Politicians | Comment (1)


Eliot Spitzer, The Briton And The Waterbottle Scandal

sexy-water-bottle.jpgWHEN Eliot Spitzer was exposed as a member of a prostitute club, Britons responded by issuing a collective gasp, shocked that the boy from the ET films had grown up to be an adulterous perv.

After much nodding and the shaking of heads, we read on and learned that this Eliot is not a former film star recovering after the groupie years. Further digging and Eliot Spitzer is revealed as a politico in New York.

The story might end there, a scratch on the political bedpost. But the Sun gives the news relevancy by introducing a Britisher into the fray.

Says the paper: “The hunt is on for a rich Brit revealed as Client 6 of the global vice ring that brought down New York’s governor.”

Client No.6. All good scandals need a codename – The Third Man, The Hand Of God, Watergate. Given the level of interest in this story, the time difference between the UK and New York, and the appearance of a randy Britisher, we’d like to name this the Waterbottle Scandal.

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Posted: 15th, March 2008 | In: Politicians, Tabloids | Comment


Ashley Dupre, Ashley Youmans, Spitzer

YOUMANS TO TESTIFY AT GRAND JURY…

Eliot Spitzer’s Lawyers Worked at Office Handling Prostitution Case…

Youmans In Music Video by Rapper ‘Mysterious’…

Posted: 14th, March 2008 | In: Politicians | Comment


Mikko Puumalainen And Finland Against Free Speech

FINLANDISATION: “Finnish government bureaucrat Mikko Puumalainen want to establish a Chinese-style governmental firewall on the internet to prevent all 5,000,000 (five million) people in Finland from reading websites that ‘strive to maintain an anti-immigrant political climate’ by e.g. publishing facts such as official statistics on crime rates.”

Posted: 14th, March 2008 | In: Politicians | Comment


Ofcom Branded Bottled Water

ofcom-branded-bottled-water.jpgANYONE for Ofcom Branded Bottled Water.

It was the Environment Minister, Phil Woolas, who said that the amount of money that people spend on bottled water “borders on being morally unacceptable”.

Tim Lang, the Government’s naural resources commissioner, told us:

“We have to make people think that it’s unfashionable just as we have with smoking. We need a similar campaign to convince people that this is wrong.”

You can read more at the Consumer Council for Water.

Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries.

The Chief Executive is Ed Richards, who was “Senior Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister for Media, telecoms, internet and e-govt. Before that he was Controller of Corporate Strategy at the BBC. He also worked in consulting at London Economics Ltd, as an advisor to Gordon Brown MP.”

Posted: 14th, March 2008 | In: Photojournalism, Politicians | Comments (3)


Barack Obama And Jeremiah Wright’s Channel Blair’s Symploce

obama_mlk.jpgSAYS abc: “Obama’s Pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Has a History of What Even Obama’s Campaign Aides Say Is ‘Inflammatory Rhetoric’.”

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, has been Barack Obama’s pastor for the last 20 years at the Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago’s south side.
And he loves a conspiracy theory.

He told his congregation on the Sunday after Sept. 11, 2001 that “America’s chickens are coming home to roost”.

The Wall Street Journal hears more:

We put [Nelson] Mandela in prison and supported apartheid the whole 27 years he was there. We believe in white supremacy and black inferiority and believe it more than we believe in God.”

And: “We started the AIDS virus . . . We are only able to maintain our level of living by making sure that Third World people live in grinding poverty. . . .”

On America’s blacks: “The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing ‘God Bless America.’ No, no, no, God damn America, that’s in the Bible for killing innocent people… God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme.”

God damn. Looking from the outside in on America, it’s always noticeable how American everyone is. Even in highlighting disunity and perceived unfairness, the American succeeds in sounding only like an American. He demands to be heard. He speaks of the power of America. An America leader has to believe in God. In the UK, we think a leader who wears his religion on his sleeve is a creep.

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Posted: 14th, March 2008 | In: Politicians | Comments (3)


Shaun Ryder’s Happy Monday For Darling’s Black Monday

happymondays-budget.jpgSHAUN Ryder giving his Budget verdict.

In “Alistair Darling what a tw*t”, Ryder, whose Happy Mondays band provided a 1980s antidote to Black Monday, tells fiscally minded Daily Sport readers:

Darling is “one of those people who hasn’t just got a face you want to punch, he’s got a name you want to punch as well.”

It’s a double whammy.

“I hate Chancellors…Ok, Tony Blair might have invaded Iraq and Afghanistan, been embroiled in the alleged cash for honours affirm and changed politics for spin. But Gordon Brown was that c*** who out 9p on a packet of fags.”

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Posted: 14th, March 2008 | In: Celebrities, Money, Politicians | Comment (1)


What The Budget Means For You

grey-darling-budget.jpgWHAT does the Budget mean for you?

As ever, the review begins with the vital stuff, the manna of British life: booze up; fags up.

A pint of beer will be 4p more expensive. A bottle of wine will be 14p more expensive. A bottle of whiskey will be 55p more expensive. If you are a cocktails man, you will be 73p-a-drink worse off.

And the ciggies. A packet of 20 cigarettes will rise by 11p.

The Government does not enjoy taxing smokers, taking their money. It wants you to give up. Of course, if you do give up, you might spend your money on something else, say, chewing gum. In which case, chewing gum will rocket in price and become taxed. It costs a fortune to clean it off streets. What is needed is chewing gum zone, paid for out of chewing gum chewers’ taxes, and policed.

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Posted: 14th, March 2008 | In: Money, Politicians | Comment


Mod Cons And Labour Saving Devices On MPs’ John Lewis List

YOU cannot help but notice that David Cameron’s kitchen is not too shabby.

On his Webcameron, the kitchen has all the mod cons – which might make a good name for Dave’s rebranded party. (Note to the Tory marketing team – call me.)

Very soon all MPs will be setting up a camera in their kitchens. News is that MPs are now allowed to claim expenses of up to £10,000 for a new kitchen.

And they can kit it out. There is an additional £2,000 allowance for furniture and £750 for a TV or stereo. The one proviso is that they should own a second home. Or, failing that, they should invent one.

It all part of the so-called “John Lewis list” used by Commons officials to list maximum amounts for items.

MPs can claim items up to £23,000 per year.

That list in full:

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Posted: 13th, March 2008 | In: Money, Politicians | Comments (6)


Geraldine Ferraro Welcomes Barack Obama to Black Camp

obama-white.jpgTHE Presidential Race is bought to you in conjunction with Sky Plus. You record the whole show, fast forward the bits where the agonists talk about policiezzz and societiezzz and affairzzzz and get to the good bit.

The latest pause, rewind, play, play and play to death is the segment where the former Vice Presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro says:

“If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any colour) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept.”

Ferraro sounds like one of those fat champ counsellors, only on a Black Camp. But you’re a beautiful person, she says to the black kid. You need to embrace yourself and learn to love yourself. You are lucky to be you. You are more then little black kid. You are a concept.

She then shows him pictures of Black Camp’s founding fathers, Al Jolson, Michael Jackson and Vanilla Ice…

Posted: 13th, March 2008 | In: Politicians | Comment (1)


Eliot Spitzer: We’ll Always Have Paris

RUTH Henderson, “a former booking agent for high-priced Manhattan call girls”, says of Eliot Spitzer:

Remember that scene from Casablanca, when Captain Renault declares that he is shocked, shocked to find gambling going on – just as the croupier hands him his winnings? I keep thinking of that scene when I read about all those politicians who are baying for Spitzer’s blood. Because I know, and they know, that almost all of them have been escort agency clients too. Show me a rich and powerful man between the ages of 35 and 60 who has never paid an escort for sex, and I will show you a man who is a very rare exception.

Barack Obama is how old..?

Posted: 13th, March 2008 | In: Politicians | Comment


Ed Balls Says So What To Highest Taxes Ever

ed-balls-taxes.gifED Balls Says ‘So What’ To Highest Taxes Ever…

Via

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Posted: 13th, March 2008 | In: Money, Politicians | Comment


The Budget Hits Nissan Micra Drivers

CURLY says the Budget has hit Nissan Micra divers – it will cost £40 more to drive one…

Posted: 13th, March 2008 | In: Money, Politicians | Comment


A Budget Hangover From Norman Lamont

alistair-darling-budget-10.jpgTHOSE post-Budget front-page headlines and what they reveal about the papers and their readers:

THE TIMES: “The hangover Budget”.

A picture of Alistair ‘Knut’ Darling carrying a bag (plastic?) of booze. Those eyebrows. That light grey hair. The absence of a visible receipt for his haul of drink. It’s Norman Lamont returned.

The story is underscored by the Times, er, offer: “Eat out for £10.”

THE INDEPEDENT:” MR DARLING AND HIS BOX OF TRICKS.”

The image is or Darling holding his red box up over his face. All that remains of him in view are a body and a tuft of white hair. Is that a rabbit? Or Knut?

Picture: Poldraw

Posted: 13th, March 2008 | In: Broadsheets, Money, Politicians | Comments (3)


Italy Wants UNESCO Recognition For Mediterranean Diet

binge-drinking.jpgFIRST Nicolas Sarkozy wants French food to be listed by Unesco as part of the world’s heritage, and now the Italians want their Mediterranean diet to be likewise acknowledged:
As The Croydonian says: I am NOT making this up:

Italy is to spearhead an international campaign to win UNESCO recognition for the Mediterranean diet, Italian Agriculture Minister Paolo De Castro announced on Tuesday. The minister told delegates that Italy [would ask UNESCO] to add the diet to its World Heritage List“…

It turns out that this is an extension of existing UNESCO nonsense, as “It has opened its register to include ”intangible heritage”, such as endangered languages or vanishing traditions. The Mediterranean diet is aiming for inclusion in this new category, which is so far home to music, dance and oral traditions from around the world“.

A bit of rooting around has found a list of what UNESCO reckons to be ‘Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity‘, and doubtless every Belgian would immediately have thought of Processional Giants and Dragons, Italians of Opera dei Pupi, and Czechs of Slovácko Verbuňk or Recruit Dances. Incest and folk dancing, eh?

If everything in our culture is so valuable, why is our Government trying so hard to cut down on binge drinking, football hooliganism and joyriding? And what can UNESCO do to keep our culture alive?

Posted: 13th, March 2008 | In: Politicians | Comment


Bob Spink’s Gender Responsive Budgeting

BOB Spink is Tory MP for Castle Point:

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether consideration has been given to applying gender responsive budgeting to her Department’s budget.

Says Dizzy: What in the name of God is “gender responsive budgeting”? Someone elucidate me.

Posted: 13th, March 2008 | In: Politicians | Comment (1)


Barack Obama Might Be Black

BARACK Obama Might Be Black…



Via

Posted: 13th, March 2008 | In: Politicians | Comment (1)


Finding Eliot Spitzer’s Women Easy As ABC

eliot_spitzer.jpgREPORTS ABC NEWS in the US: “A 22-year-old escort found on another call-girl Web site claimed to ABC News in a phone interview that Gov. Eliot Spitzer had been one of her customers two years ago when he was New York attorney general and that he was a nice guy who tipped well.”

Yes, they found the prostitute on a website. Do escort girls list their clients on websites? Trixie – For an appraisal of Trixie, contact Eliot Spitzer, Helmut Hertz and the guys on Solicitors.com.

And as for the “tipped well” comment, titter ye not…

Posted: 12th, March 2008 | In: Politicians | Comments (2)