'Nippon not No. 1': In so far as I ever think about the Japanese, I lazily reach for the stereotype of a highly disciplined people trained to do exactly what they're told. Well, according to a story at Zero Hedge, the 'natives are revolting'! Apparently Prime Minister Abe and his magical economic theory 'Abenomics' (prop. Goldman Sachs - yeeeeees, quite) are working well for those with huge investments because it keeps the stock exchange on a high but, alas, for poor old 'Sukka Noodle' at the other end of the financial scale, times are hard. On top of that, Abe's government is steam-rolling through a change to the post-war constitution which will lift the post-WWII law restricting Japanese armed forces to self-defence only. Given the proximity of a mighty China just across a sea that the Chinese are claiming as their own, you can understand Abe's concerns. But the 'People' (dread word!) 'no likee' and they are demonstrating in huge numbers. Of course, this could just be the 'usual suspects' from the Japanese branch of the 'International Corbyn-Castro Collective' but according to the story Prime Minister Abe needs to have a care. And 'Ol' Big Ears' needs to watch out, too, because if the Left push Abe out and then decide to cuddle up to China that will change the entire geo-strategic outlook for the Pacific. (Are you reading this, Australia?)
Booker deserves his bit of triumphalism: For years, nay, decades, Christopher Booker has been blowing raspberries and, as per the late Auberon Waugh, shouting, "Show us your willy" at all the silly 'Warmers' and their ludicrous political non-science. Needless to say, throughout he has been subject to heavy 'incoming'. So today he has, and deserves to have, a bit of a triumph. In today's Telegraph he reports, with some understandable relish, that:
Two events last week brought yet further twists to one of the longest-running farces of our modern world. One was the revelation by the European Space Agency that in 2013 and 2014, after years when the volume of Arctic ice had been diminishing, it increased again by as much as 33 per cent[my emphasis]. The other was that Canadian scientists studying the effect of climate change on Arctic ice from an icebreaker had to suspend their research, when their vessel was called to the aid of other ships trapped in the thickest summer ice seen in Hudson Bay for 20 years.
And his list of similar clown-like prat-falls by sundry Greenies must surely be the stuff of a new TV comedy series:
So taken in had others been by all these dire predictions, that in 2008 the activist Gordon Lewis Pugh, after speaking at a conference alongside Al Gore, set out to paddle a kayak to the North Pole – only to have to abort his trip after a few days because “the ice was too thick”. In 2009, the three-man Caitlin expedition, sponsored by a “climate risk” insurance company, and backed by the BBC and the Prince of Wales, set out to walk to the North Pole. Their intention was to measure the thickness of the vanishing ice with an electronic instrument, but it froze so hard that they had to resort to a tape measure. Again, after a few weeks, they had to be airlifted back to a rescue ship because the constantly shifting ice was “too thick”.
In December 2013, the world followed agog the plight of yet another “scientific expedition”, when 52 climate activists, accompanied by reporters from the BBC and the Guardian, sailed into the Antarctic to measure the effects of global warming on its sea-ice. By Christmas their ship was so dangerously trapped by thick, multi-year ice that they had to be helicoptered to a Chinese ship 10 miles away, which itself then got so trapped in ice that they had to be airlifted again to two other ships even further away.
Oh my giddy aunt, no more, please, no more, my sides are splitting. Well done, Booker, if anyone deserves a baronetcy it's you.
Kiddie-winkies, don'cha hate 'em? Well, I don't, er, not all of them and not all the time, just most of them most of the time! No, that's not true, either. So long as they comply with the two statutes contained in Duff's Law, that they keep still and keep quiet, then I quite like them. I may be repeating myself here (what again?) but a few weeks ago there was an embarrassing episode at lunchtime in a local restaurant when a little kiddie-winkie kept screaming every three minutes - you could have set your watch by him. Anyway, in due course, yours truly stood up and bellowed across the dining-room telling the parents either to shut it up or move it out. I said this was embarrassing but not to me, only to the Memsahib and our friends! I am reminded of all this by an article in the IJ Review in which a similar eruption occurred 'over there' and made national news. However, the reporter goes on to feature another version of the 'screaming kiddie-winkie syndrome' in which a family with three children entered a restaurant and the 'titch' went off on one at which point Mum heaved him out of his high chair and took him outside. This happened for a second time and so Dad took him outside again. Mum asked for the check but was told that it had already been paid by another customer who was impressed with her way of dealing with the brat. This reminded me of a personal experience whilst enjoying a lunch in a coffee bar and a man came in on his own with not one, not two but three boys of double-trouble, urchin age. Their behaviour was impeccable and whilst I didn't pay for their lunch I did pause on the way out to congratulate the Dad on his children's behaviour. See, sometimes I can do 'nice'!
Jolly good show, you can always rely on an Aussie: As you know 'games', by which I mean the sort of thing 'hearties' go in for, are not high on my list of priorities. However, I do still keep some residue of enthusiasm for Grand Prix racing. I was delighted today to see one of the best races for some time. I was double delighted to see an Aussie driver take out that Finnish-Monacan-German sulk, Nico Rosberg, in the last few laps. It's the sort of thing Aussies do so awfully well! By doing so, he allowed our frightfully decent, British chap, Lewis Hamilton, to score some points even though he was down the field and thus extend his lead over the afore-mentioned Nico Sulk. God Bless Australia!
The 'Kiddie-Winkies Kollective' kould win! Sorry, sorry, I kouldn't couldn't resist the alliteration. What I mean is that it appears to be the kiddie-winkies who are rushing to join the Labour party and vote for Comrade Corbyn. I have remarked before on the 'juvenilation' of British (and American) politics since the ridiculous notion of lowering the voting age was agreed. The juveniles are joined - and encouraged - by many older, more cynical realists from the old Communist party and Militant Tendency - remember them? Thought the Labour party had smashed them back in the '80s, did you? Then think again, they're still around and they could capture the Labour party if 'Karl' Corbyn wins the leadership. That would be a disaster for everyone but the prospect does contain one gleam of gold. There are already mutterings from the Left for the Labour party to swing against the EU in the forthcoming referendum. That, as they say, could very interesting!
Emperor Obama scores another one: And so, slowly but surely, the American constitution is tipped on its arse and more and more power moves to the White House and away from the Congress.
'The Cousins', given their history of malfeasance by government departments, have a system where-by Congress can appoint Inspector Generals with powers to enter and search all documents, paper or computer based, if there is suspicion of wrong doing. Not any more! The emperor has spoken, or his satraps have, and from now on the Inspector Generals Corporals will have to ask permission of the Cabinet minister concerned first! The Conservative Treehouse sums it up in pictures:
No more rumbles today
Giggle! I've plagiarised - sorry, shared - these; we can't keep such fun to ourselves.
Posted by: The Jannie | Sunday, 26 July 2015 at 10:47
Steady on, Jannie, it isn't done to mock the afflicted, well, not too often, anyway!
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 26 July 2015 at 11:24
The Nip's stock market is doing what our market is doing for the heavily invested and well off. The opposite end of the scale is not faring so well. Hence plenty of opportunity for leftist demagogues.
Since the amount of "climate change" is under a great deal of doubt today, its political science cheerleaders have taken on another tack- attacking, impugning and otherwise destroying anyone who stands in there way as being a "climate denier". It is in the same vein as racist or anti-Semite.
Posted by: Whitewall | Sunday, 26 July 2015 at 14:31
Kiddies at the trough. I saw an episode of this at a nice restaurant on the coast a few years ago. This cast had a mom and dad, a 6 year old-approximately, a little rug rat of 2 or 3 and then to round out the cast...the ultimate wild card--grandmother. All bets are off when this saintly creature is at table. Well, little boy does 3 or 4 episodes and mom or g'mom eases the moment after icy stares from the rest of the civilized patrons. Then, and you know it had to happen...the Big One hit with the brat going off the Richter scale. No feminine interventions could stop this one. Dad took over. He reached over the table and grabbed the ornery little rat straight up from his booster seat, slung him over his shoulder and out the door they went. The rest of us were mannerly enough not to applaud but approved. About 20 minutes later Dad and brat came back. Said brat made no sounds of any kind. All were relieved.
Posted by: Whitewall | Sunday, 26 July 2015 at 14:50
'Whiters' in response to your three points, 'Quite', 'Quite' and 'Quite' again!
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 26 July 2015 at 15:18
The Japanese people should take a pragmatic view and a close look at Chinese ambitions.
Japan should be prepared to defend herself and become a solid member of NATO.
Posted by: jimmy glesga | Sunday, 26 July 2015 at 18:44
I have a killer glare for brats.
I use it in shops and restaurants......kid screams, I do the glare, kid senses the glare, looks at me, I glare, kid shuts up.
Works a treat every time.
Posted by: Andra | Sunday, 26 July 2015 at 19:07
David
If we were to find a time machine and ask your sainted mother if you always were a model of good behavior in restaurants, how long would it take her to stop laughing??
Posted by: Hank | Sunday, 26 July 2015 at 20:24
Jimmy, I know they've stretched the definition of the "NORTH ATLANTIC Treaty Organisation" but Japan might be a stretch too far!
Dammit, Andra, a shiver just ran up my spine!
Hank, happily I can neatly avoid that question because when I was a kiddie-winkie, from 1939 on, going to restaurants was definitely not an option for obvious reasons. Also, I was evacuated from London by my mother and for most of my first six years I lived with a couple in the country. They were super - but stood no nonsense!
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 26 July 2015 at 20:32
David you can fly to Japan in short time now and the World has changed. We could add Pacific and that would do the trick.
Posted by: jimmy glesga | Sunday, 26 July 2015 at 21:45