Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies
– Groucho Marx
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Hegel remarks somewhere that all great world-historic facts and personages appear, so to speak, twice. He forgot to add: the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce. – Karl Marx It must be plain to the historicist that Tinky Winky is such a personage. First, as supporting character in the American tragedy of Jerry Fallwell; now as a causus belli in the farcical end of Polish ultra-Catholicism. The trouble is, Marx – or at least that Marx) had it wrong, as usual. It is always farce and tragedy at the same time. May 28th, 2007 | 24 comments - (Comments are closed)
 I like to feel that programs get on to my computer at my invitation, rather than barging past me into the living room and demanding to know where the drinks are. – Charles Arthur on the Word 2007 converter. Which goes for all sorts of institutions and people. If someone is prepared to explain themselves, gives us an alternative, recognises our autonomy, then we incline to trust them simply because they have shown they understand that there is trust involved. May 24th, 2007 | 37 comments - (Comments are closed)
He [Michael Moore] travels to London to show off the beauty and brilliance of the British National Health Service. He talks to an unstressed doctor who has a four bedroom house in Greenwich and a £100,000 salary from the NHS. He films empty waiting rooms and happy, care-free health workers. He even talks to Tony Benn about how this wonderful marvel came into existence in 1948. What he hasn’t done is lie in a corridor all night at the Royal Free watching his severed toe disintegrate in a plastic cup of melted ice. I have. – James Christopher, reviewing Michael Moore’s film Sicko in the Times. May 21st, 2007 | 51 comments - (Comments are closed)
Now I party with petrochemicals like it’s 1999! – Glenn Reynolds, taking his environmental responsibilities seriously. May 18th, 2007 | 2 comments - (Comments are closed)
It seemed to me that on one side you had representatives of a fanatical cult trying to foist its views on the rest of the world and on the other… the Church of Scientology. Truly, they deserve one another. May 17th, 2007 | 7 comments - (Comments are closed)
Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled. Whenever you hear the consensus of scientists agrees on something or other, reach for your wallet, because you’re being had. “Let’s be clear: the work of science has nothing whatever to do with consensus. “Consensus is the business of politics. Science, on the contrary, requires only one investigator who happens to be right, which means that he or she has results that are verifiable by reference to the real world. In science consensus is irrelevant. What is relevant is reproducible results. The greatest scientists in history are great precisely because they broke with the consensus. – Michael Crichton on dangers of ‘consensus science’ in a 2003 speech, quoted in an article about global warming. thanks Ben! May 16th, 2007 | 12 comments - (Comments are closed)
“Vote Blue” the Tories say, “Go Green” – Sean Gabb. To see him on 18 Doughty Street discussing the Resignation of Tony Blair, go here. May 14th, 2007 | 3 comments - (Comments are closed)
There may have been disillusionments in the lives of the medieval saints, but they would scarcely have been better pleased if they could have foreseen that their names would be associated nowadays chiefly with racehorses and the cheaper clarets. – Saki (aka H. Munro). If you have not read any Saki, well you should repair that omission immediately. Many people, including PG Wodehouse, Noel Coward, Evelyn Waugh and others were inspired by the brilliant, cruel wit of Saki. I have my old friend and intellectual mentor, the late Chris R. Tame, to thank for encouraging me to read Saki. If you are ever in need of cheering up, read any one of Saki’s short stories. Absolute magic. May 10th, 2007 | 8 comments - (Comments are closed)
That [Sarkozy] appears clueless as to the functional benefits of speculation is not surprising – politicians are generally clueless. It’s his idea that a bunch of politicians could ‘reinforce the morality’ of anything I find truly gobsmacking! A mob of used car salesmen would do a better job… – Commenter Sean May 9th, 2007 | 10 comments - (Comments are closed)
May 4th, 2007 | 3 comments - (Comments are closed)
May 1st, 2007 | 16 comments - (Comments are closed)
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