Albert Tatlock

I hope there's a flight on a Saturday - Luton FC could do with doubling their attendance.

Say, after a hypothetical period of race riots, the BNP employed some implicit threat of violence in an attempt to prevent a particular author being honoured or even published (for whatever reason). I for one would prefer to see their threats be met head on and to see people criticise those issuing the threats than I would seeing them being quietly appeased. The difference is that the BNP is part of 'our system', and racism, fundamental terrorism and fundamenal religion are not. This would be a wholly different issue under the laws of our own land - but we are not fighting in our own land, we are fighting with the consent of democratically elected governments in Iraq and Afghanistan under 'their rules', those governments elected by peoples with wholly different belief systems to our own general beliefs. Whilst I would agree that the government should not allow an 'anticipated hostility' to dictate its actions: even on something trivial as honours, or on something as broad as foreign policy, and I would defend the Government's right to honour him, and Rushdie's right to accept - I still have an issue over the timing. Surely you would agree that foreign-policy-diplomacy is not best served at delicate times by carrying out 'provocative gestures', and especially not by someone like Blair if he is thinking about becoming an 'ambassador' to the middle east. An analogy would be Blair conferring a Knighthood on Ian Paisley at a tentative stage of the Northern Ireland peace negotiations, yet Blair expecting to remain as being seen as impartial. It's ill-thought-out-politics IMO, and just another reason why an agent-provocateur-Blair is unlikely to be accepted as a negotiator by many in the middle east.

But with free speech comes self-regulation, responsibility and commonsense. All actions have consequences whether they are done under the banner of 'free speech' or 'irresponsible speech'. For the reasons I stated earlier, I still think the timing of this was all wrong: they should have nominated him by all means, but any award should have been offered when relations were not so strained - because there have been additional threats made by Muslims who are too stupid to think for themselves, and who have no concept of the phrase 'free speech' in their religion. I'd love to know what most of the squaddies facing daily attacks think of this? Would they have done it for 'free speech' if the 15 Navy hostages were still being held in Iran. FFS! This is political ineptness of the first order. Plus since when have we been fighting for free speech in Iraq and Afghanistan? Aren't we there fighting terrorism and looking for WMD? - and not arming terrorists with propaganda that they can use to further recruit?

He has been well rewarded and recognised for his services to literature (Booker etc.) and I don't discount his abilities. However, the honours system is political/state based, and the government have a duty of care to exercise our foreign affairs in a sensible fashion, especially at a time when international negotiations are at a delicate stage. Foreign affairs are, not least, about diplomacy, respect, commonsense and timing - perhaps 5 years post-Blair and Bush, and diplomatic relations with Iran at a high, may well have been far more sensible. Personally, I see this as Blair's final middle finger salute to some in the middle east as he parts - and wholly the wrong message to send out at this time. A whole nation was out to get SR in the 1980's, and Blair is kicking hornet's nests' again at a time when British servicemen are in the firing line and the focus of any terrorism in the middle east. I never underestimate the stupidity and sheep-like tendencies of many muslims in their reaction to events such as these.

I think this is a political decision taken by Blair - and given the sensitivity of a wide variety of present negotiations - a self inflicted bullet in the foot for the UK. This is simply another step in the 10th Crusade. We have to deal with at least another 100 years of Islam before it gains the same level of commonsense that 'Christianity' has WRT to the control of voters in the UK. Political stupidity AFAIAC. Blair should be building diplomatic bridges - not blowing them up - these are British lives he is playing with. I hope Gordon Brown puts the diplomats back in charge.

Was speaking with Blackajah's hubby yesterday.

Ooooer! When do you have to take his missus back? I think I have seen the Manx registered spiderman helmet too - on Bray hill the other day - doing 15mph in a 180mph zone.

...and...he does some fine work.

Had a conversation with Stef this weekend.

Carling 'Dambusters' Advert

The stakes rise as Iran launches it's first rocket into space.

Monkey telling a Penguin joke

About 14,000 Damn those rouge states...must be the the Russians again!

The consequences of bad decisions by the town council planning committee.

Despite the will of the Senate, Bush is still pumping troops into Iraq. He is still the 'Commander in Chief' and anything is possible with this ****wit in charge. This guy has put the world clock back by decades. I don't think Bush is going to go quietly somehow, and anything could happen over the next year. Always remember that attacking Iran doesn't require ground troops.

Ooooer! Where's me tin hat?

Viacom, owners of MTV, have asked youtube to remove 100,000 videos from the website. They couldn't agree about sharing advertising revenue.

Small Collection of Film Clips Empire of the Sun Blues Brothers Bullitt Jason and The Argonauts

Why not a Saturday lunchtime 1;30 start? Lunch followed by a few drinks and everyone can easily get there, popping in when they want/can for the afternoon. Those that want to go out in the evening can do so too. There are probably some 16 - 18 year olds who won't be able to turn up (or e.g. get into a pub) if it was all in the evening, some older people who might not be be arsed with the evening, and all sorts of other people who have various responsibilities. From any 200 people on here you will get a diverse range - and would surely have to think carefully about catering for them too.

We could all turn up in character costumes - and adjust our avitars accordingly over the next few months.

You've obviously got me converted. Everytime I see you now I say to myself 'oh sweet Jesus' and cross the road.

Class act.

Fat kid on a rollercoaster

Excellent Looks British made too.