A fantastic autobiography - just oozes with the voice and personality of Timothy West. Forth right thoughts on actors, managements, arts funding etc, a host of anecdotes.
My only disappointment was when it ended and as it was published in 2001, there are 15 more years to account for.
Monday, 1 August 2016
Thursday, 7 July 2016
Leave it out - I never said that
This is from the official leave campaign website, campaign resources for the public to download.
It's even more explicit than the slogan on the side of the bus.
We know also that the intention was always to mislead people.
No Irony from Hannan as he tells us taking back control means doing what he tells us
Similar articles have been appearing in many places, after 40 years of not accepting the result of the 1976 referendum, Leave campaigners now tell us that people supporting remain should shut up and accept the result.
http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2016/07/daniel-hannan-instead-of-tantrums-remainers-should-accept-the-result-and-work-for-a-better-future.html
There are two main augments here, one the insinuation that seeking to overturn a result is not 'accepting' it and secondly that leave the EU means whatever the speaker wants it to means.
I do accept the result of the referendum, remain lost. Let's be honest though, I didn't get any say in how the referendum was conducted, what the question posed was or who led the debates on either side. It is reported that George Osborne interventions were met with disbelief amongst the electorate.
Not surprisingly. Similarly, many leave voters knew the leave campaign was telling lies, but at least they were "our liars".
As Mr Hannan himself has made clear, the remain campaign was based on "project fear", so what is his objection to another referendum where the debate can be based on project reality ?
There is nothing in the UK laws that prevent a second referendum on the leave terms offered. It would be inconvenient for the leave campaign and the Conservative Party to have another referendum, but that not actually a legal basis. Referendums in the UK (unlike most countries) are called at the whim of the Prime Minister (assuming he can get most MPs to back him/her) . There is no mechanism for say 1 million ordinary electors to call a referendum.
Leave campaigners made great play of taking back control and Parliament be sovereign (i.e. having the final say)
Others seem to argue that somehow another referendum is 'unsporting', what if it goes the other way, will we have another referendum after that brought about by disgruntled leave campaigners ? Well the answer is yes, that's the marvellous thing about democracy, one is allowed to change your mind.
The public supporter the Munich agreement in 1938, when it turned out not to be what it appeared, they supported war with Nazi Germany.
http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2016/07/daniel-hannan-instead-of-tantrums-remainers-should-accept-the-result-and-work-for-a-better-future.html
There are two main augments here, one the insinuation that seeking to overturn a result is not 'accepting' it and secondly that leave the EU means whatever the speaker wants it to means.
I do accept the result of the referendum, remain lost. Let's be honest though, I didn't get any say in how the referendum was conducted, what the question posed was or who led the debates on either side. It is reported that George Osborne interventions were met with disbelief amongst the electorate.
Not surprisingly. Similarly, many leave voters knew the leave campaign was telling lies, but at least they were "our liars".
As Mr Hannan himself has made clear, the remain campaign was based on "project fear", so what is his objection to another referendum where the debate can be based on project reality ?
There is nothing in the UK laws that prevent a second referendum on the leave terms offered. It would be inconvenient for the leave campaign and the Conservative Party to have another referendum, but that not actually a legal basis. Referendums in the UK (unlike most countries) are called at the whim of the Prime Minister (assuming he can get most MPs to back him/her) . There is no mechanism for say 1 million ordinary electors to call a referendum.
Leave campaigners made great play of taking back control and Parliament be sovereign (i.e. having the final say)
Others seem to argue that somehow another referendum is 'unsporting', what if it goes the other way, will we have another referendum after that brought about by disgruntled leave campaigners ? Well the answer is yes, that's the marvellous thing about democracy, one is allowed to change your mind.
The public supporter the Munich agreement in 1938, when it turned out not to be what it appeared, they supported war with Nazi Germany.
Wednesday, 6 July 2016
Iraq and Blair and Chilcot
It is typical that a war that wasted lives and billions of £ beyond comprehension and was built on errors should be addressed by a report that has wasted time, millions and told us nothing worthwhile.
I can almost believe Tony Bair acted with the best motives, I find it harder to believe that he didn't seek to mislead anyone, what I utterly disagree with is his assertion that it was worth it and he would do it all again.
The war in Iraq was a disaster from the start. The build up ignored the United Nations, the war itself destroyed Iraq so badly it has still not recovered and it unleashed death and destruction across the region and terrorist attacks across the world.
I can almost believe Tony Bair acted with the best motives, I find it harder to believe that he didn't seek to mislead anyone, what I utterly disagree with is his assertion that it was worth it and he would do it all again.
The war in Iraq was a disaster from the start. The build up ignored the United Nations, the war itself destroyed Iraq so badly it has still not recovered and it unleashed death and destruction across the region and terrorist attacks across the world.
Monday, 4 July 2016
£12.6 billion Gamble
According to the Gambling Commission, Britons lost about £12.6 billion in the 12 months to September 2015, an increase of almost 12 per cent on the previous year.
That is almost £500 for every household in the land
Monday, 27 June 2016
Boris the Spider
the web of deception. - Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive
Boris Johnston says:
"This year the US is projected to grow by 2.4 per cent, China by 6.5 pc, NZ by 2 pc, Australia by 2.5 pc and India by 7.5 pc. The Eurozone – 1.5 per cent."
He sometimes adds his joke, the only continent with lower growth than the EU is Antarctica
But what does GDP measure ? The size of the entire size of the economy. It can grow simply because the population grows. It can shrink because natural resources are depleted or fall in value. And % increases tell us very little when comparing countries with each other as opposed to comparing them with themselves in previous years.
Lets look at a more meaningful measure - GDP per person (also called per capita). Methodology (the way of working out the figures) varies, but roughly speaking, they are similar whatever method is used.
In 2015 they were:
UK $43,940 China $14,107 India $6,162
So the India economy grew by 7.5% in 2015, or $403 per person
If the UK economy grew by 1.5% , that would be $649 per person
In fact the UK economy grew by 2.2% in 2015, or $946 per person
Funny how even when the India economy growing at more than 3 times the % rate of the UK economy, in cash terms, the UK economy grew more than twice as fast as the Indian economy and the gap between the two countries has widened.
So Boris does this usual thing with liars, he doesn't tell a direct lie, so much as not tell the truth and deliberately gives a misleading impression. He claims if only we left the EU the UK could have a 7% growth rate like India. Well no it couldn't.
Similarly, will Boris be moving to China because their economy is booming ? No, because the average UK citizen is about 3 and half times better off than a citizen of China.
Setting aside the fact that Boris doesn't support the economic polices of China or even the USA, the truth is that he is again misleading people with bogus statistics.
Boris Johnston says:
"This year the US is projected to grow by 2.4 per cent, China by 6.5 pc, NZ by 2 pc, Australia by 2.5 pc and India by 7.5 pc. The Eurozone – 1.5 per cent."
He sometimes adds his joke, the only continent with lower growth than the EU is Antarctica
But what does GDP measure ? The size of the entire size of the economy. It can grow simply because the population grows. It can shrink because natural resources are depleted or fall in value. And % increases tell us very little when comparing countries with each other as opposed to comparing them with themselves in previous years.
Lets look at a more meaningful measure - GDP per person (also called per capita). Methodology (the way of working out the figures) varies, but roughly speaking, they are similar whatever method is used.
In 2015 they were:
UK $43,940 China $14,107 India $6,162
So the India economy grew by 7.5% in 2015, or $403 per person
If the UK economy grew by 1.5% , that would be $649 per person
In fact the UK economy grew by 2.2% in 2015, or $946 per person
Funny how even when the India economy growing at more than 3 times the % rate of the UK economy, in cash terms, the UK economy grew more than twice as fast as the Indian economy and the gap between the two countries has widened.
So Boris does this usual thing with liars, he doesn't tell a direct lie, so much as not tell the truth and deliberately gives a misleading impression. He claims if only we left the EU the UK could have a 7% growth rate like India. Well no it couldn't.
Similarly, will Boris be moving to China because their economy is booming ? No, because the average UK citizen is about 3 and half times better off than a citizen of China.
Setting aside the fact that Boris doesn't support the economic polices of China or even the USA, the truth is that he is again misleading people with bogus statistics.
Free Eye test
Above is a photo from http://www.voteleavetakecontrol.org/
I think it is part of an adult literacy campaign.
I think it is part of an adult literacy campaign.
Or perhaps Specsavers or just one of those optical
illusions that take the internet by storm,
Where some people can see the
hidden words such as “the lions share” “this is a mistake, I haven't authorised it” “No, not me I knew nothing about it" or "Nay, nay and thrice nay, not on your nelly will you see a penny of that £350 million"
Most worryingly, Michael Gove used to be in charge of UK Education !
Boris Johnston, is well known for his quote "It is an inverted pyramid of piffle. It is all completely untrue and ludicrous conjecture. I am amazed people can write this drivel." but of course that was about the allegation that he had had an affair, which turns out, he was lying about.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)