Orwellian Society

Hmmm. Just watched the news and things aren't right. Then again they haven't been right ever really. What I mean is they are becoming less right.

All over the news today is the fact that a Muslim cleric chap should be kept out for the county because his views insight religious hatred. Well I've read as much as I can and it all seems to come down to the fact that he has said that he understands why the Palestinians have resorted to suicide bombers and whilst he doesn't condone it he doesn't quite condemn it either.

I seem to remember the wife of our Prime Minister, Cherie Blair said something similar last year. No one seems to be having a go at her. This seems to me a case of inciting religious hatred in reverse. Should Mr Blunket and crew be charged with this new crime that he is trying to create?.

Make your own mind up and look at the facts rather than the froth by reading here.

Who's Marbles?

Another news story I saw today concerned the removal from Iraq under cover of the tightest security of tons of nuclear material including 1.7 tons of "enriched uranium". The article reads like the USA have saved us all from terrorists who might have used this if they had got their hands on it to create a so called 'dirty bomb'

The funny thing is that I did a bit of digging whilst I was eating my lunch and discovered that enriched uranium and many of the their radioactive bits and pieces the Americans have hoovered up is really really valuable. In fact its so expensive the Americans can't make as much as they need for their military and other (some good) applications.

So. Who owns it? That's my question. It seems to me that on the one hand the UN could have been given it to look after and should they conclude Iraq doesn't need it anymore they could sell it and give the money to Iraq to help with the problems. Or should it just disappear into the US for free.

Once upon a time there was a boy who liked to play marbles. He was a very bad boy so the teacher stamped on his hands, breaking them and he couldn't play marbles anymore. So the teacher collected all the marbles and instead of giving them to the boys parents so they could help buy bandages. He wandered off and sold them.

I call that theft?

I suppose though in a funny sort of way that given the Americans (in the main) make their tank and other rounds out of depleted uranium because its so dense that it blows through most defending armour, and given that they used thousands of such rounds so poisoning Iraqi land and children for generations to come, they are in fact giving it back with the other hand. I bet they collect it all again much later too. And this time probably sell it back. Thats all right then?

A rant? Or a comment?

I could do this every day. But I won't. Just occasionally I become vexed. I also suppose I'm now on certain hit lists for illustrating something.

I had better do it now. If this carries on our lifetime will see a law against it. Thought police. Orwellian after all?

The weather doesn't help.

Though,, it was nice yesterday and I cycled into work. I will find the flamingo's again. For now you have to make do with the Swans.


What noise do Swans make?