I hope this anti-abortionist Christian homicidal maniac goes there if it does. Emily makes the same point but in a rather more amusing manner.

It’s up and looks rather impressive.

According to the major networks there is silence. This would appear to be their approach to Sept 11 this year. There is evidently to be no televised commemorations or observances.

Why? They dont think its news worthy? Its an insignificant event? Or do they not want to see the depth of feeling that is still so fresh, much of it not in line with their reporting habits of the past year.

The media has had great power for a long time to inform and to influence people. They have abused it badly in recent times, and this is another low point in the sorry saga. If we dont see it, it isnt happening? Im afraid not; a new power is rising. We dont need you anymore. We have brains, opinions, freedom to speak our minds, and the will and the facility to do so.

For a long time now we have been getting our news earlier and more accurately by turning off our TVs and firing up our computers. This latest attempt by the media to define public opinion by inaction is only going to create a vacuum that hundreds of bloggers will be only to happy to fill. We are biased, we all have our positions, and we dont have editors (well those of us without a spouse dont anyway). We ARE public opinion and a media with instant feed back. A new kind of media, of the people, by the people, for the people hey that sounds catchy.

Will the attacks – not tragedy, not terrible accident, the ATTACKS of September 11th 2001 be commemorated? Yes they will. New York is now the Mecca of the Western World. Will they be covered? I dont know about anywhere else but the blogosphere will cover not much else. We won’t shy away because its ugly or doesnt suit our current agenda. And we won’t agree. We will clash over a lot of it, in some cases tempers will be strained, idle threats issued, and beer consumed. But none of us are going to pretend it didnt happen.

We have all been spectators to the most significant event of the millennium, if not of human history. A war of civilisations was begun; a few still deny it but war is upon them whether they would have it or not. This day will be observed and commemorated, not only in the United States, but everywhere in the free world. Most importantly we will remember it and teach it to our children. I suspect till the end of time.

I live in country where people dont fly flags so it wasnt hard for me to count them last year on Sept 11; there were eight between here and the city, seven of them were the stars and stripes, the eighth was a New Zealand Ensign flying along side one of them. Ill count them again this year, and Im betting there will be more.

So go ahead, ignore it if you will. The dinosaurs ignored that tinge of frost in the air and it worked out ok for them didnt it?

Unmedia features three long posts by Razib Khan on the subject. They are fascinating and informative nonetheless.

Paul has linked to an interesting bit of speculative analysis by Susanna.

I am rather interested to know the whole story. There is a lot that just doesn’t add up about it. As far as Susanna’s theories, I think I am leaning towards number 2.

Tim reports that Republicans are scarce at Ivy (and sub-) League schools.

Re: Reclaim the pews
Date: 3 September 2003

Sir – The current funding crisis and the threatened closure of so many parish churches by the Church of England (letter, Sep 2) have brought to light some interesting facts.

From:
Rev Paul Williamson, Feltham, Middlesex

This is an interesting letter. The East Boothbay Dodge clan’s local Methodist Church is under threat of closure from the Diocese. They claim the church does not attract enough parishioners and some of the parishioners worry that it might be sold. Needless to say the locals are up in arms about this (even those who don’t attend the place) and frantically looking to save it.

Andrew Marr speculates on ways to sever the classical vs rock clash. It would certainly make the boring bits, of which there are a few in Wagner, lets face it, a bit more exciting.

I know for me, at least, listening to Wagner introduced me to “heavy” music and is probably responsible for my love of metal. As a classically inclined mate of mine once said, “Wagner was the first heavy-metal musician.”

Fraser Nelson has a good bash at the Tories in today’s Scotsman. He thinks its their incompetence, or rather that of IDS, that has allowed the Unions a foothold (or at least a meeting) with the government.

First of all, I think Blair and Co are just playing with the Unions to ensure they don’t get too nasty at their upcoming conferences. They are thinking having them in for a natter will make sure the Unions don’t get shirty in the next few weeks about the War and the public sector. I think this strategy will fail because the Unions are itching for a fight with “Tory” Blair, but you can’t fault Tony for trying.

As far as the Tories are concerned, its a clever strategy to see if Labour will fall on its own petard. If the Tories are not seen as a threat, the left of the Labour party will feel emboldened and do their best to destroy Tony and New Labour. Why should IDS remind the Labour Party of their hatred for the nasty Tories when they are too busy hating each other. IDS is well aware of the adage: “the opposition does not win elections, the government loses them.”

[L]et’s examine the accusation that roughly 18 percent of Israel’s more than 6 million citizens incur ‘institutional racism.’ According to the Jewish Virtual Library, Israeli Arabs have equal voting rights — in fact, it is one of the few places in the Middle East where Arab women may vote. Israeli Arabs have freedom of speech, assembly and press, as is evident from the many Islamic journals that thrive in Israel. Arabs currently hold 10 seats in the Knesset. Israeli Arabs have also held various government posts and they serve on the bench. Arabic, like Hebrew, is an official language in Israel. The sole legal distinction between Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel is that the latter are not required to serve in the Israeli army (a bonus,
wouldn’t you think?).” (09/03/03)

Link from Rational Review.

The Dutch government has started distributing cannabis as a prescription painkiller to pharmacies to treat chronically ill patients. The Hague had already been turning a blind eye to medicinal cannabis use, but now it’s become the world’s first government to supply the drug itself, in accordance with United Nations rules on narcotics.” (09/01/03)

Typical UN, doing everything they can to keep the private sector out of it.

From: Rational Review

I love the comments of anti-cannabis zealots.

Likewise shaky, said Clifton, was the rush of many to blame ‘deregulation’ for the transmission failure, ‘as it’s far more accurate to say that utilities were re-regulated under the sham reforms of the last decade,’ with no net decline in total government involvement. ‘It’s as if the politicians are suffering from a mental power failure, to match the electrical one New Yorkers experienced,’ he charged.” (09/03/03)

Via: Rational Review

-The Royal Mail is resisting further competition, saying that it could result
in a 7p increase in a first-class stamp. (Funny, when postal competition
has reduced stamp prices in every other country it’s been tried….)

Via: ASI

CNN 02/09/03:

The FBI on Tuesday released photos of a steel collar used to secure a bomb to the neck of a pizza deliveryman killed last week after robbing a bank in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Is it just me, or is this about the weirdest piece of news that you’ve heard lately?

It seems like an elaborate “suicide-by-cop” scenario or some fantastic “perfect crime” that could have only been cooked up in the fevered mind of a 46-year-old, uh, pizza deliveryman.

I don’t buy the evil genius in the abandoned TV transmitter theory. Better he should turn his attention to that and start pirating satellite signals.

Bank robbery is these days a crime for losers — junkies and deadenders who’ll be lucky to get away with a couple of thousand dollars, usually equipped with an exploding dye-pack.

And with the police about two minutes behind. (Would that they responded with such alacrity to the average housebreaking.)

You’d think, too, that such a devious plot would have a more dramatic punchline than a crappy pipe bomb that barely delivered a flesh wound, but had enough concussive effect to rupture vital organs or blood vessels.

You really want to rip the joint apart, you might want to look into Semtex or C4. Consult your local Palestinian.

I have posted reviews of the new Killing Joke and Ted Nugent, as well as of a DVD sampler from North Mississippi AllStars.

Right now, I am listening to the new one from Peter Frampton.