history, rewritten

The thing is, he says all this without laughing. Astonishing.

via. Oliver Willis

nhs prepaid suppliers

From the FT ::

Hospitals and primary care trusts have prepaid suppliers many hundreds of millions of pounds and have hidden money in other ways in order to keep the National Health Service surplus for last year down to the forecast £1.8bn.

Without such action, senior NHS managers say, the declared surplus for the NHS in England in the financial year just ended is likely to have been nearer £3bn.

WTF?

I’d be *very* interested to know what favourable terms the trusts negotiated before they generously handed over taxpayer’s money in this way? No-one should prepay a supplier unless it means significant savings. Your money in other people’s bank accounts is a financial no-no.

via. Mike Power

breaking news over at rational geekery

The Fishstick world has been rocked by a rare performance by the Grand Master, Adam Lisagor.

The full story, including footage, can be found over at RatGeek.Com

Olbermann, as ever

via. a kind reader.

hillary: careful or careless?

Quoted comment on HuffPo, re.

SamanthaJaneSalem (posted 05/23/2008 at 17:19:49):

From expressing a window of doubt about whether Obama is a Christian to saying he isn’t winning “hard-working Americans, white Americans” to implying he might be shot like Bobby Kennedy was, Hillary Clinton just isn’t careful enough with her words to be president. Or– worse thought– she is being careful, very careful, and such hideous insinuations are planned.

link (see comments)

hillary: now officially beyond the pale

You have to hand it to Hilldog: -

Hillary Clinton’s argument for staying in the race took a disturbing turn today. While meeting with the editorial board of South Dakota’s Sioux Falls Argus-Leader, she raised the specter of Obama’s assassination as a reason to stay in the race:

“My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. I don’t understand it.”

Man she’s one cold bitch.

if i were a sports car

I’m a Ferrari 360 Modena!

You’ve got it all. Power, passion, precision, and style. You’re sensuous, exotic, and temperamental. Sure, you’re expensive and high-maintenance, but you’re worth it.

“Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

via.

republicans embarrassed into common-sense

Last week, after Bush’s controversial appeasement speech in the Israeli Knesset, rightwing talk-show host Kevin James, made a complete twat of himself on MSNBC’s Hardball, conveying an astonishing lack of historical knowledge: -

This humiliation of a GOP rent-a-hack has caused some introspection among the right, with Pat Buchanan slating Bush’s statement and outlining why diplomacy is crucial, not only to previous and future presidents, but to Bush’s own tenure also.

It’s nice to see that realpolitik is not totally dead within the GOP. The comments to the article are also reassuring (at least *some* of them). It would be nice to see pragmatic Goldwater-like libertarians take back some of the power in the GOP, and marginalise the crack-pot neo-con fundamentalist wing that so poisons American politics.

Buchanan parts with a worthy money-shot:

What has Bush’s refusal to talk to Hamas, Hezbollah, Damascus and Tehran done to make either Israel or America more secure?

Sweet Valley High.

I’d also like to point to Buchanan’s opening gambit, which refers to Bush’s undoubted idiocy. Really? So the conservatives are resigned to the fact that their man is a complete moron. And yet they demand Americans install John McCain - their latest champion. I have one question: if you were completely fucking wrong last time around, why should Americans believe you now? Answers on a postcard to the usual address.

credit: video via. Anthony Painter

obama

Live in Portland, Oregon.

+++ BREAKING NEWS: DRINK DRIVING GUIDO FAWKES GETS THREE MONTH 9PM - 6AM CURFEW ORDER AND ELECTRONIC TAG +++

via. The Chicken Yogurt News Agency

Blogger Guido Fawkes was sentenced to a three month curfew order this afternoon after being convicted of driving while over the legal alcohol limit and without insurance.

Appearing at Tower Bridge Magistrates Court the blogger, real name Paul Staines, was told the curfew would operate between the hours of 9pm and 6am. Staines, 41, will also have to wear an electronic tag.

The judge also handed down an 18-month supervision order and a three year driving ban. Staines will be required to retake his driving test when the driving ban has elapsed. He was also ordered to pay the prosecution’s £60 costs.

(Additional reporting by Tim Ireland)

I suppose this all ended happily. I mean, you know, at least there wasn’t an accident with another car - say a young family, just like Staines has. Also, rather surprised that Guido would show so little respect for other people’s property, by driving uninsured. Like I said, it all ended happily.

clinton speaks

the irregular photo of the day

The Visitor, originally uploaded by tygerland.net.

no wait…

…we have even more!

image: LC

excuse me…

…while I draw your attention to Sunny’s question over on LC, re. Nadine Dorries MP, and her 20 Week Campaign.

Who’s financing this thing? Who’s behind it? What are they hiding?

Today Dorries played the victim over on her blog. Unity responds.

labour just don’t get it, cameron is serious about social justice

Liam Murray has an excellent post on how Labour - and the left in general - just don’t ‘get’ the reality that David Cameron’s new “compassionate conservatism” is real, rooted in history, and ideologically sound.

Of course it’s still hard, for those like me who grew up under Thatcher, to not be suspicious of the Tories, but maybe Liam is right. Maybe Cameron is serious about improving social justice.