Fresh violence in France

In France the famous French 'youth' are back on the street rioting. It has been going on for a week now, after a criminal of Algerian descent attempted suicide while he was in police custody. Police say it really was a suicide, but that of course is not believed.

Tiberge has a good overview of the fresh violence of the past week. I may have missed it, but I haven't seen any reporting on this in the Dutch MSM (or any other MSM out there). Why the coyness? Or have we really resigned ourselves to the fact that 'youth' (whose background, of course must never be mentioned) will use any excuse to cause havoc. And that our authorities will do next to nothing to curb the violence. As Tiberge notes: 'Clearly, French law does not apply to Muslims'.

A first world luxury

In the Spectator a long interview with Professor Ian Plimer, Australian geologist and the writer of a new book showing that ‘anthropogenic global warming’ is a dangerous, ruinously expensive fiction, a ‘first-world luxury’ with no basis in scientific fact. Just one thing: All major publishers rejected the book.

Luckily a tiny family publishing house took it upon themselves to take a chance for truth. Plimer couldn’t bring himself to accept an advance they clearly couldn’t afford. But then something remarkable happened. In just two days, the book sold out its 5,000 print run. Five further editions followed in swift succession. It has now sold 26,500 copies in Australia alone.

Some choice quotes:

On computer models.

I’m a natural scientist. I’m out there every day, buried up to my neck in sh**, collecting raw data. And that’s why I’m so sceptical of these models, which have nothing to do with science or empiricism but are about torturing the data till it finally confesses. None of them predicted this current period we’re in of global cooling. There is no problem with global warming. It stopped in 1998. The last two years of global cooling have erased nearly 30 years of temperature increase.

On environmentalist.

When I try explaining “global warming” to people in Iran or Turkey they have no idea what I’m talking about. Their life is about getting through to the next day, finding their next meal. Eco-guilt is a first-world luxury. It’s the new religion for urban populations which have lost their faith in Christianity. The IPCC report is their Bible. Al Gore and Lord Stern are their prophets.

On public awareness.

‘It’s one of the few good things to come out of this recession,’ says Plimer. ‘People are starting to ask themselves: “Can we really afford this green legislation?”’

On that much vaunted consensus.

If you’d asked any scientist or doctor 30 years ago where stomach ulcers come from, they would all have given the same answer: obviously it comes from the acid brought on by too much stress. All of them apart from two scientists who were pilloried for their crazy, whacko theory that it was caused by a bacteria. In 2005 they won the Nobel prize. The “consensus” was wrong.

Read it all, as they say.

(Thanks to Anonymous in the comments)

Enjoy it while it lasts

Remember this name: Cass Sunstein. He's a Harvard Law professor who has been appointed to head the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. And according to Kyle Smith of the New York Post it's the bland titles that should scare you the most.

"Although obscure," reported the Wall Street Journal, "the post wields outsize power. It oversees regulations throughout the government, from the Environmental Protection Agency to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration."

Another 'czar' in the Obama administration. But this is one with a difference. Mr. Sunstein thinks that bloggers have been rampaging out of control and that new laws need to be written to corral them.

Sunstein questions the current libel standard - which requires proving "actual malice" against those who write about public figures, including celebrities. Mere "negligence" isn't libelous, but Sunstein wonders, "Is it so important to provide breathing space for damaging falsehoods about entertainers?" Celeb rags, get ready to hire more lawyers.

Hence, in the best (by which I mean worst) of Post-modern tradition Sunstein is contemplating changing the meaning of the word 'libel'.

Sunstein may try to make good on the implicit threat that runs through his book: that he would redefine libel as the spread of false information and hold everyone up the ladder responsible.

If this happened, the blogosphere would turn into Pluto overnight. Comments sections would slam shut. Every writer would work on a leash shorter than a shoelace.

And to enforce the new 'law' on the internet, mr. Sunstein wants to engage in government sponsored lawfare against ordinary citizens.

You blog about Obama-Ayers. You get a letter claiming that your facts are wrong so you should remove your post. You refuse. If, after a court proceeding proves simply that you are wrong (but not that you committed libel, which when a public figure is the target is almost impossible), you lose, the penalty is . . . you must take down your post.

How long would it take for a court to sort out the truth? Sasha and Malia will be running for president by then. Nobody will care anymore. But it will give politicians the ability to tie up their online critics in court.

Sunstein, trying to fair, argues that libel awards should be capped at $15,000, or at least limited for anyone demonstrating financial hardship. But $15K is the limit you'd pay to your opponent. The legal bill is the scary part, and the reason bloggers already have plenty of reason to be careful about what they say, even if they don't much fear a libel conviction.

And there you have it. The concept of Freedom as the Obama administration thinks it applies.

This piece in the Post is, of course, an early warning op-ed. Mr. Sunstein isn't officially appointed yet. And even if he is, I doubt radical legislation like this makes it through both Houses unscathed and indeed alive.

But I heartily endorse Mr. Smiths conclusion:

Sunstein is an enemy to every news organization and blogger. We should return the favour and declare war on him.

For if he gets his way, the blogosphere and indeed all independent news-gathering and opinion will be dead or forced underground. (h/t IBA)

[UPDATE001] Sunstein is not the the first or only anti-human, anti-freedom 'czar' about to be appointed by The One. From Michelle we get news of the designated Science and Technology czar, John Holdren and his peculiar views on the application of science to mould humanity. And the MSM is ripping him a new one over it... NOT.

"And for our next trick..." (updated)

- "... we will eliminate world poverty and hunger!"

- "... we will change the earths rotation to its opposite direction!"

- "... we wil turn water into wine!"

Idiots!

Mind you, the more astute among the western leaders must be aware that the global temperature has been trending downwards over the last year. So they should know that warming will be limited to within 2 degrees centigrade by natural processes alone. That they are still going along with the utterly insane, self-destructive insanity of a reduction of 80% of CO2 emissions tells us that this whole charade is not about impending climate disaster. It is about increased government control, pure and simple.

[UPDATE001] Our own intrepid PM, Jan Peter Balkenende, is also afflicted with the collective Jesus-syndrome: Balkenende content with climate deal G8 (NL). Will nobody rid us of these blathering fools?

[UPDATE002] And to underline the point of this post: Gore: U.S. Climate Bill Will Help Bring About 'Global Governance'. (h/t Jim Hoft)

Fjordman Files -- July updates

[9 - 7] The third instalment of A History of European Music is up at Brussels Journal.

[8 - 7] The second instalment of A History of European Music is up at Brussels Journal.

[1 - 7] Fjordman has started a new series one of my favorite subjects: Music. The first installment is up over at Brussels Journal: A History of European Music -- Part 1

This is the first part of a history of European music, from Pythagoras to The Beatles. It will consist of five parts published at The Brussels Journal, Atlas Shrugs and possibly other websites such as Europe News and La Yijad en Eurabia. After these parts have been completed, the entire essay will be republished at the Gates of Vienna. I have utilized many sources for this text, but the single most important reference work is A History of Western Music, Seventh Edition, by Donald J. Grout, Peter J. Burkholder and Claude V. Palisca.

RECENT FJORDMAN
A History of European Music -- Part 3
A History of European Music -- Part 2
A History of European Music -- Part 1
Britain: From Parliament to Police State
Some Mathematical History
To President Obama: Regarding Islam and Science
Why Christians Accepted Greek Natural Philosophy, But Muslims Did Not
Bruce Bawer on “Racism” Accusations
Why Muslims Like Hitler, but Not Mozart
Sweden Tops European Rape League — But Why?
Why We Need Germany
A Critical Look at The House of Wisdom by Jonathan Lyons
A History of Mechanical Clocks‏
The Self-Defeat of the United States
Mathematics and Religion
Islam and the Decline of Greek Culture: A Critical Look at John Freely's Book “Aladdin’s Lamp”

More Fjordman Files here.

It on... again... on October 2nd

Ireland's Taoiseach (PM) Brian Cowen today announced when the do-over of the Irish referendum on the EU constitution Turnip Lisbon treaty is to be held: October 2nd of this year.

This comes after mr. Cowen secured the promise of a possibility of amending the treaty to settle Irish concerns during the 'summit' late last month. As we wrote then:

So the upshot really is, that the Irish have not got what they asked, they just got the promise that maybe they will get their wish, but only after they accept the Turnip Lisbon Treaty.

But since every other leader who managed ratification of the Turnip will not risk renegotiation of the treaty (with the risk of demands for a referendum attached to it), this promise is as empty as a slice of intergalactic space.

The next referendum is then, in very real terms, a literal do-over. The Irish get to vote on the exact same treaty, expected to give a 'Yes' this time around. That is how the EUnion works, don't you know?

More on EU Referendum.

The last days

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. (Rev. 3: 14-16)

Christianity in the Netherlands is doomed to extinction. In its present form anyway. This saddens me greatly, because I firmly believe that Christianity is a force for good in any nation where it has taken root. The Netherlands as a nation will suffer more then it is prepared to acknowledge if (or when) the Holy Ghost finally leaves these shores for good.

This morning mrs. KV and I attended service at a protestant church two villages away from ours (much to the delight of mrs. KV, the region, like mrs. KV, is predominantly Catholic. So if I want an old-fashioned 'black stocking' Reformed service, we have to travel a bit). I hadn't really paid attention to this before, but we, despite being in our early thirties, were the youngest ones there. Not only that, but the gap between us and the next youngest attendants was a good thirty years. A full 80% of the people occupying the pews were 70 or over. Which means that in about 30 years, when mrs. KV and I will be in our sixties, the congregation gathered today will in all likelihood have joined the choir eternal. We might well be the only two attending service by then (well, here's hoping our children will follow their parents in this seemingly losing proposition).

And, though I find this infinitely saddening, I can understand it. Mrs. KV and I go to church for our own sake. By that I mean we don't attend church for the sermon or the singing. It is hard to put into words exactly why it is we feel the need to visit a church every now and then. We jokingly refer to it as 'going on a visit to God'. Just the act of spending an hour in church, praying and meditating, I guess.

For people looking for a bit more then just 'visiting God', however, the protestant church in the Netherlands has become a barren place. I cannot remember the last time I have heard a sermon that did not leave me squirming in my seat. This Sunday was not exception. The minister, a sweet and in his own way: a wise man of eighty-three going on seventeen, reminded us all how we were morally obligated to take responsibility for all the crap in the world. How we MUST feel solidarity with the downtrodden in far away lands, suffering at the hands of regimes that are in fact propped up by the very money we were invited to put into the collection plate.

As sermons go, this was pretty standard fair. All my life I have been excoriated from the pulpit I didn't feel enough, didn't show enough, didn't do enough about the plight of people in far flung places in Africa and Asia, or (closer to home) the illegal immigrants that were desecrating our churches (back in the 80's), blithely using the altar as their own personal bedroom and/or toilet.

All *my* questions about what God wanted from me, how Jesus' teachings applied to my life were left unanswered. When such subjects were treated in a Sunday service, those questions that were important to me were dismissed in bland clichés about the Light and the Grace of God, shining upon us in Eternal Love(tm). It all sounded very lofty, but it answered nothing. Tired of being made to feel guilty about stuff that wasn't my fault to begin with, and I could do nothing about, while at the same time getting no answers to the questions that were most pressing to me at the time, I came to a point where I very nearly lost faith altogether. And our dear Lord only knows how many, consciously or not, have definitively turned their back on the church for this very reason.

Over the last few years the rhetoric from the pulpit (both in the protestant and in the Catholic church, I am sorry to say) has become even stronger. Last Christmas, on the Eve of the birth of Our Lord, we were treated to a flaming sermon about 'Solidarity'. The text itself seemed to be lifted straight from the minutes of a Komintern meeting. This Sunday the real kicker came when the minister started to refer, in thinly veiled terms, to those sympathizing with Geert Wilders as those who were the bringers of inequity we should oppose.

This has been a common theme for some time now, partly covered on this blog here and here. Both the Catholic and the Dutch protestant church have apparently taken up the position that just because islam also has a single deity, they are natural allies against the forces of secularization.

This particular attitude is exemplified by Erik Borgman, professor of 'Theology of Religion' at Tilburg University. Last year, prof. Borgman was voted one of Hollands 12 'sharpest' thinkers. Maintaining that 'islam is important to the church' this (NL) is what this sharp thinker had to say about Christians sympathizing with Geert Wilders:

I find that shocking.(...) Sin exists and can not be helped out of this world by sufficient education. But it would be worth something to me when churches for example would make it clearer that freedom of religion is one. That those who injure islam also injure the church.

I find it hard to believe that I am the only one seeing the contradiction in the statement that 'those who injure islam also injure the church', especially when injuring the (Christian) church is part and parcel to any and every Islamic regime in this world, from Egypt to Nigeria and the Philipines. Moreover, this petty little man declares anyone with the slightest sympathy for Wilders to be a sinner beyond education. How's that for an inclusive, non-judgemental and 'solidary' attitude?. Anyone remember Marcel van Dam disgracefully calling Fortuyn and 'inferior human being'. How is this different?

But this episode inadvertently points out where the church in the Netherlands is heading: To oblivion. Between the embrace of islam as a possible ally (how I pray we will not see the day when we find out what that alliance will actually mean) to the ambiguous stance on the 'Palestinian question' by the General Synode ('we want to boycott Israel, but the faithful might not like it'), it seems that the church has been taken over by those who shape God into the form of Marx. They obey God, but up to a point. When it comes to denouncing real, actual evil, the church has nothing to offer but artificial shades of grey and bland 'solidarity' with those that have expressed the desire to see us all exterminated. They are a tepid bunch, spued out by the majority of the Dutch even before God has spat them from his mouth.

That is the saddest part of it all: The astonishingly thorough secularisation of the Dutch since the 1960's was (and still is) a result of the choices the churches themselves have made.

(h/t Nieuw Religieus Peil)

Another defeat

UPDATE to this post.

This Friday the appeal court in Groningen ruled the owners of cafe 'De Kachel' not guilty of breaking the ban on smoking. This is the second time that an appeal court ruled against the smoking ban, the first time last May, when the Breda appeal court gave a similar ruling with regard to cafe Victoria.

Normally, this would mean the ban is 'dead in the water'. But EUnion treaty obligations demand otherwise: Health minister Klink will now 'adjust' the law (NL) to keep the ban in place. With the prospect of a multimillion euro claim, which would make the embarrassment for the government that much worse, the chances of finally overturning and/or scrapping this highly unpopular law are slim.

But this saga does bring into focus why the gap between The Hague and the general populace exists. The EUnion and by extension our local government won't (because they can't) admit defeat. They are here to rule, and we are here to listen. No matter how daft or unpopular the measures taken. Stubbornly they press on with their pet projects, seemingly oblivious to the contempt, scorn and naked hatred they heap upon themselves by doing so.

Which is why, in the end, they will end up being shot by the population they sought to rule...

Insufferable busybodies

The ban on smoking indoors in public places, including bars, discos and restaurants, has been in effect for a year now in the Netherlands. Geenstijl commemorates the event (NL) with a post, whose title translates to : 'One year smoking ban, the smoldering mess'.

As covered on this blog, the Dutch judiciary is contradicting minister of Health Ab Klink and itself (see here, here and here), while the minister and a goodly part of parliament sing the tune their (and our) true masters demand. In a new twist, this week a foundation called 'Red de Kleine Horeca Ondernemer' (Save the Small Hospitality Entrepeneur), representing a number of small cafes and bars, filed a suit (NL) against the state, claiming up to 100 million euros in damages.

This blog has been accused on conspiracy thinking when we remarked that the ban would be upheld no matter what, since our government (such as it is) does not have the power to contravene the EU Commission who are adamant that 'Europe' should become smoke-free.

But, thanks to EU Observer, we stand vindicated: Brussels wants smoking ban across Europe.

The European Commission on Tuesday (30 June) called on member states to boost their non-smoking legislation in order to move towards a "smoke free" EU by 2012.

The commission is suggesting the bloc's 27 member states agree smoking in "enclosed public places, workplaces and public transport" be banned by 2012, while children's exposure to tobacco should be specifically tackled and "efforts to give up tobacco use and pictorial warnings on tobacco packages" should be encouraged.

Just remember: It is for the children! We are now waiting for the first local politician to suggest that smokers lighting up in front of their children be declared unfit parents and their children taken away.

In the course of their argument, the commission come up with some truely fantastic figures:

According to commission estimates, 25 percent of cancer deaths and 15 percent of total deaths in the EU can be attributed to smoking.

Last year alone, 6,000 people died in the EU just from "workplace exposure to tobacco smoke," including 2,500 non-smokers, it says.

Given that no study worthy of the name has found a consistent link between 'second-hand smoke' and illness I find that very hard to believe. And 15 % of total deaths in the EU? I would really like to know how they came up with that number.

To give the article some balance, EU Observer asked UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom about his thoughts. And he makes an absolutely crucial point:

Nobody pretends that smoking is a good thing, but it is legal

continuing:

These bullies seem to have no truck with freedom, liberty or tolerance. Well in that case we shall have to take it back. And if that means a certain level of civil disobedience, well so be it

Which of course describes the situation in the Netherlands to a T.

But mr. Bloom raises a point that is absolutely fundamental to both the character of the EUnion and the fight we have on our hands regarding freedom and (personal) sovereignty: Smoking (unlike marijuana, or illegal immigration) is a legal, non-criminal activity in ALL member states. Granted it does harm, it is not healthy. Then again: what are the costs to industry and society of employers getting injured in their weekly Saturday football match? If we allow the EUnion to ride roughshod over the law like this, legislating quite arbitrarily against legal activity in the personal sphere, then where IS the limit of the EUnion?

We all should let these insufferable busybodies know that they need to stay out of our personal lives (and preferably out of our country) or else face the consequences. By which of course I mean violent insurrection and executions at dawn.

To my own surprise

As the proprietor and main contributor to this modest blog, I get with some regularity emails accusing me of all kinds of human depravity. First and foremost among these are accusation of being a far-right bigot. So far-right in fact, that a number of emailers strongly suspect I am a closet nazi.

So it was with some trepidation that I filled out The Politics Test, fully suspecting that my right wing leanings were going to be exposed to the full glaring light of day. But, as the illustration below shows: I am not a nazi. According to this thing I am not even overly conservative or right wing.


Centrist to the core I am, apparently. Of course none of the questions in the test had anything to do with islamisation, rampant immigration or the EUnion. Answers to those questions would probably have resulted in a completely different result.

Or so I hope. Because lets be honest: A more boring result then the above is hardly imaginable, is it? Look Ma, I'm not a nazi. I am a boring git!

(h/t ATW)

Compare and contrast

Today in an interview with the daily Trouw (NL), our intrepid minister of defense, Eimert van Middelkoop (p), stated that Geert Wilders is a 'transitional figure' fighting a 'rear-guard action'. Wilders is longing for the Netherlands as they were some 40-50 years ago, and in actuality the integration of (mulsim) minorities is much more advanced then Wilders would want.

Just as this interview was making the rounds around the Dutch blogosphere, we were treated to this bit of news from De Telegraaf: A detainee of Sittard prison has filed, through his lawyer, an official complaint, because he is forced to eat halal food.

As it turns out, a sizable (some would say: disproportionate) part of the prison population is muslim. Since featuring two menues is deemed too expensive, several Dutch prisons have cut deals with halal only suppliers, leaving the non-mulsim prisoner without his pork meatball: The choice is between ritually slaughtered sheep or beef.

So... You were saying, mr. van Middelkoop?

Sanity prevailing at last? - Update: Apparently not

Tonight will see the vote in the US for the 'Cap and Trade' bill, which will burden the US economy unnecessarily, to the extent of rendering the US economy fighting with both hands tied behind its back. In the run-up to the Copenhagen meeting, where the Kyoto treaty will spawn its hideous offspring, the outcome of this vote will have a bearing on environmental legislation (and taxes!) across the Western world.

Did it seem, only a few weeks or months ago, that the Goristas were sure to win, some developments over the last few weeks have made all the difference. In the Wall Street Journal today: The Climate Change Climate Change.

Among the many reasons President Barack Obama and the Democratic majority are so intent on quickly jamming a cap-and-trade system through Congress is because the global warming tide is again shifting. It turns out Al Gore and the United Nations (with an assist from the media), did a little too vociferous a job smearing anyone who disagreed with them as "deniers." The backlash has brought the scientific debate roaring back to life in Australia, Europe, Japan and even, if less reported, the U.S.

With the onset of catastrophe being pushed back further and further away, people are starting to wonder what the flap is all about. We may (finally) be watching the tide turning with regard to the 'green' madness. And for the record: It started in Australia, with Australian senator Steve Fielding openly openly declaring: the world is not warming now, and humans aren't changing the climate.

In the mean time, the atrocious 'Cap and Trade' bill, that would surely wreck the US as we know it, seems to be floundering. Let's hope we wake up tomorrow to a brand new day. Only 7 votes needed to save the Western world from the abyss.

(More on the hearing that convinced senator Fielding to abandon the climaticians position courtesy of Joanne Nova)

[UPDATE001] Spoke too soon. The bill passed through Congress: 219 to 212. Onto the Senate now.

The measure of the man II

Last night I saw upon the stair

A little president who wasn't there

He wasn't there again today

Oh, how I wish he'd go away

James Lewis in the American Thinker takes Obama's measure:

Barack Obama loves to preen and parade his "higher" morality. But when it comes to Iranians struggling against ugly tyranny or the people of North Korean just trying to fill their bellies with food, our little president just isn't there. Nowhere to be found. Chances are that behind the scenes the mullahs are promising Obama a glorious peace agreement that will allow him to parade his gargantuan ego around the world one more time. They are Persian rug sellers over there, who know all about hard bargaining. They've got his number: He's a pushover. Obama will trade personal glory against the freedom of Iran's people any day of the week.

With at least 3.5 more years of this to go: How much damage can one man do in that time?

A message for the international community

Americans, European Union, international community,

this government is not definitely — is definitely not elected by the majority of Iranians. So it’s illegal. Do not recognize it. Stop trading with them. Impose much more sanctions against them.

My message…to the international community, especially I’m addressing President Obama directly – how can a government that doesn’t recognize its people’s rights and represses them brutally and mercilessly have nuclear activities?

This government is a huge threat to global peace. Will a wise man give a sharp dagger to an insane person? We need your help international community. Don’t leave us alone.

'Mohammed', an Iranian protester, in an interview with CNN's John Roberts and Kiran Chetry.

(h/t IBA)

Just how retarded do they think we are?

Drowned out by the high drama playing out in the streets of Tehran, this weekend saw a 'European summit' (the meeting of the EU Council, where all the functionaries pretending to serve and represent us gather to plan their moves). The main focus of this 'summit' was to secure a 'Yes' in the next Irish referendum, planned for October.

EU Observer is convinced the next referendum will deliver the desirable (and only possible) result:

Recent opinion polls suggest that the treaty will be accepted by Irish voters this time round, in part due to the devastating consequences of the economic crisis on the small country, which has made citizens nervous of rocking the EU boat.

This after Irish Teoseach Cowen gained a 'text designed to make the Lisbon Treaty more palatable to the Irish people' (note the wording of that sentence).

Mr Cowen said Ireland had got its two key demands from the meeting - that treaty guarantees on interpretations of the treaty in the areas of tax, neutrality and ethical issues were agreed and that they will eventually be enshrined into EU law.

"We have agreement that the legally binding guarantees will be incorporated in a protocol in an EU treaty after the entry into force of Lisbon," said the Irish leader who had two special meetings with UK prime minister Gordon Brown to secure the deal.

So the upshot really is, that the Irish have not got what they asked, they just got the promise that maybe they will get their wish, but only after they accept the Turnip Lisbon Treaty.

But since every other leader who managed ratification of the Turnip will not risk renegotiation of the treaty (with the risk of demands for a referendum attached to it), this promise is as empty as a slice of intergalactic space.

At least some in Ireland are paying attention. Via EU Referendum, we have Socialist MEP for Dublin, Joe Higgins, insisting that the protocols are an "elaborate charade" meant to distract attention away from the key issues. "The fundamentals have still to be debated."

In the mean time EU Observer happily burbles that

The summit conclusions say that the guarantees are "fully compatible with the Treaty of Lisbon and will not necessitate any ratification of that Treaty."

Which is a rather circumspect way of saying that the Turnip itself has not changed one iota and what the Irish have in hand is, in fact, the empty promise referred to earlier.

As Mr. North puts it (emphasis is mine):

[O]ne wonders whether the Irish will even accept the assurances so far given, bearing in mind that any member state could refuse to ratify them after the next referendum, thus negating the whole deal after it is too late to block the treaty.

What would be interesting, therefore, is whether the Irish would be prepared to refuse to agree to Lisbon until after the protocols have been ratified – which could be some years hence. That would certainly put Cameron in the frame as his new administration would have no excuse whatsoever for refusing a UK referendum.

So it all comes down to this: Much like the rest of the EUnion, the Emerald Isle is afflicted with a 'leader' who is convinced his subjects are this gullible, this uninterested in their sovereignty, this eager to give up control of their lives to a foreign government.

Had this been a 150 years ago, at dawn shots would be ringing out all over Europe, while newspapers celebrated the demise of those that would sell us out to the French and/or Germans. But this isn't, and we are much more civilized now, aren't we? Who'd ever have thunk that the two biggest losers of both WW1 and WW2 would end up being on top?

So, come October, it is yet again up to the Irish to vote for all those that were denied their voice. And THE question is: Will they take the bait? Or will they sniff at it, and notice the rubbery, fake smell?

[UPDATE001] On a slightly related note: Peter Hitchens tells us that The Eurosceptics are just as phoney as President Blair.

[T]his is why I hate the people in politics and the media who call themselves ‘Eurosceptics’. What are they for? What good have they done? They stand about, mainly in the Unconservative Party, claiming to be concerned about the way the EU is swallowing this country.

But they refuse to take the one step that would actually make a difference. They will not call for this country to leave the EU. You will have to ask them why not. There is no reason Britain [Or The Netherlands - KV] could not exist outside the EU, which sells more to us than it buys from us, drags us into trade disputes with the USA which are not in our interest, steals our fish, chokes our small business, mucks up our farms and milks us each year of incalculably large sums of money we could spend better ourselves.

Exactly!!!

The measure of the man

If anything proves what a completely worthless specimen of humanity Barack Obama really is, this is it: Obama Cuts Funding to Democracy Protesters In Iran. That came out in the same weekend Neda met her untimely death.

Moreover, he still wants to negotiate with Irans little big man.

Hope and change not working out as everybody thought, is it?

[Instant Update] Also from Jim Hoft: Regime Change Iran is back up after three years. And for a little light: Our own embassy has opened its doors to injured Iranian protesters. This way the protesters avoid arrest when reporting to a hospital. Lately I haven't been able to say that a lot, but: Yay for us!!!

[UPDATE001] The Infidel Bloggers Alliance has the complete list of embassies receiving wounded protesters.

[UPDATE002] Some sobering observations from Diana West, by way of Dymphna.

Fjordman File update

[16-6] On Democracy Reform: Britain: From Parliament to Police State.

The sad part when writing this is that while Britain was once admired for its political system and was rightfully hailed as a beacon of liberty, today Britain is one of the most politically repressive countries in the Western world, which is saying a lot given how bad Politically Correct censorship is in the entire Western world these days. Britain today is a Multicultural police state where sharia, Islamic law, is quite literally treated as the law of the land. I suppose there is a strange sort of symmetry in this: Britain was one of the first countries in the West to embrace political liberty and is now among the first to leave political liberty behind.

I'm a bit behind on my updating, I know. Here's the 15 most recent FF's (that I am aware of). If you think I missed one, please use the comments to let me know.


RECENT FJORDMAN
Britain: From Parliament to Police State
Some Mathematical History
To President Obama: Regarding Islam and Science
Why Christians Accepted Greek Natural Philosophy, But Muslims Did Not
Bruce Bawer on “Racism” Accusations
Why Muslims Like Hitler, but Not Mozart
Sweden Tops European Rape League — But Why?
Why We Need Germany
A Critical Look at The House of Wisdom by Jonathan Lyons
A History of Mechanical Clocks‏
The Self-Defeat of the United States
Mathematics and Religion
Islam and the Decline of Greek Culture: A Critical Look at John Freely's Book “Aladdin’s Lamp”
“The House of Wisdom” by Jonathan Lyons: A Brief Review
Islamic Jihad vs. the Western Way of War
Alhazen, Kepler and the History of Optics

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