Humph

Oh well.

Lousy weather conditions always favour a heavier boat, and Oxford had the weight and height advantage over the Cambridge boat. Given the huge advantage they had, and the disruption to team unity in the Light Blue boat due to the late loss of their stroke to a fairly serious medical problem, Cambridge did well to overhaul Oxford's early lead and keep it tight up to Hammersmith.

Now we just have to put up with the "magnanimous" victors. There's a difference between a sporting rivalry and personal revenge chaps...

Sick with nerves

Watching the Boat Race.

Thought we'd lost it in the first few minutes. Just past Hammersmith. Palms very sweaty.

More soon.

A very close shave...

... quite literally.

It's been something that's been on my mind for a while. Should I do it, or shouldn't I? In the end, I decided to make a trip to Taylor of Old Bond Street (five minutes from where I work) and invest in one of these:

And some shaving cream, a strop, an alum block and a styptic pencil (the latter two essential for the inevitable nicks and cuts...).

So why am I going all Sweeney Todd? The answer is nothing to do with the release of a film version of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd musical I might add. Well, firstly, my electric shaver is dead. Secondly, having had a cut throat shave in the past, there is nothing quite as close. But most importantly to me (and a consideration many people might not have thought of) is environmental.

When you buy an open razor, then barring stupidity, you will never need to buy another razor again. The total cost of my razor, strop, cream etc was £130. That's about the price to replace my electric razor, which only lasted just short of three years. It doesn't need to charge, so no energy usage, no toxic batteries to dispose of. And no need to worry about adaptors when travelling.

What of disposable razors? Each head lasts what, maybe a month at the absolute most? Then you throw them away. What a waste of resources, and money. After a few years, I would have spent as much on blades as on this one razor and accessories, but with a fraction of the environmental impact.

I reckon the alum and styptic pencil will last years (my last styptic pencil was lost after two years of use). From the look of the shaving foam, it will last far longer than a can of shaving foam, or even a tube. Less waste, for the same money. Tying in with my New Year resolution to buy green, organic, fair trade or a combination. This definitely counts as green.

Or red, if I'm not careful...

Tags: Taylor of Old Bond Street straight razor cutthroat razor environmentally friendly

It'll all be over by Christmas...Yeah, but of which year?

Today marks the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. For five years, a predominantly US and UK army has occupied Iraq, shooting and being shot at. They are ill-equipped, and ill-served by the politicians who sent them into a theatre of war without planning, without clearly defined goals, and without any real sense of what this would all entail.

Our soldiers are dying in Iraq. Iraqi civilians are dying in Iraq. Was it all worth it? If you value democracy as the absolute ideal, then there is a democracy, of sorts. It doesn't matter that infrastructure is worse than it was under the Ba'athist regime. It doesn't matter that Islamic terrorists now cause havoc, a scourge that simply was not there under the previous regime.

This morning I listened to the speech Tony Blair delivered at the start of the invasion. The aim of the invasion, as stated by Blair, was to rid Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction that threatened us. Weapons of mass destruction that did not exist.

We went to war on knowingly false evidence, for personal and political reasons, driven by two incompetent ego-maniacs who wanted their place in history.

George W Bush was a blinkered buffoon. A weak-minded idiot manipulated by a coterie of neo-conservative war-mongers that surrounded him. On his election, my entire international law class pondered how long before Iraq was invaded? The terror attacks of September 11 delayed the invasion of Iraq. Bush and his cabinet ignored the evidence and warnings of the danger of Al Qaeda. Those attacks are on their hands. Then they cynically manipulated the threat, to focus on Iraq. They ignored the dangers of Islamic fundamentalism in order to attack Iraq. They set unrealistic demands, backed by UN sanctions, and when Iraq compied, in full and on time (this is a matter of record with Security Council meetings), the US and UK declared it too little, too late. They were never serious about seeking a peaceful resolution to this.

Tony Blair on the other hand is not stupid. He is evil. He ignored the warnings of his cabinet not to take part in this stupid war. He wanted this. He was then, and remains, arrogant, unrepentant, and simply evil. Has he confessed his willful evil now that he has embraced Catholicism? I doubt it. He knowingly lied to this country. He betrayed us. Now he believes he can bring peace to the Middle East, and teach on issues of faith? If he brings peace to Israel like he did to Iraq, then that conflict will never end. And he certainly has faith - in the justness and correctness of his own opinions. But his actions run counter to the teachings of the very faith he puts so much stock in. He, like Bush, believe that they are doing God's work. God begs to differ.

The US and UK have got into bed with corrupt regimes like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. We are "allies" with known supporters of Islamic fundamentalism, the exact sort that apparently threatens us. We engage in brutal torture, we turn a blind eye to gross abuses of human rights, we criticise weaker countries for the threat of the use of force, yet willfully, gleefully engage in it ourselves. Aggression, according to the Nuremberg Tribunal, was the supreme crime under international law. Nazi leaders were executed for this crime. What punishment for Bush and Blair? We eschew the death penalty in this country. Their punishment will be far kinder than that meted out to Saddam Hussein.

The Ba'athist regime in Iraq was cruel. That it has now gone is a good thing. But the manner in which we removed it shames us. It betrays every ideal we pretend to, every ideal we preach to others. When Iraq stabilises, then it will be through the efforts of better people than Bush and Blair.

Tags: Iraq war Iraq invasion fifth anniversary Tony Blair George Bush evil men

Your results may differ...

And this is why I shouldn't be allowed near a kitchen.

It ought to have been simple. It ought to have been a simple case of following instructions. Take mix. Add egg. Mix. Mix 12 disks with dough. Bake. Add orange filling. Add chocolate. And voila, you wind up with something similar to what is on the box below:

Yeah, nice. That's the theory. Then comes my application:

And these were the best of the bunch. Twelve? I managed to make nine. And didn't have enough orange and chocolate for the seven that survived. It slid off some of them.

I used to say that although I can't cook, I can at least follow instructions. Now I'm not even sure of that...

Tags: kitchen disasters Paul can't cook tastes better than it looks

Justice, or something wholly unlike it...

Tags: lack of due process lack of natural justice Aetogate Spencer Lucas dodgy dealings in New Mexico whitewash

Case heard before Lord Justice Cocklecot in the High Court

Cocklecot, LJ - Now ladies and gentlemen, we must come to a decision in the case before us, that of my very good friend and esteemed colleague, Justice Snooty, who has suffered the misfortune of being groundlessly accused by scoundrels and chancers of some form of ill-behaviour.

Snooty, J - Indebted to you m'lud.

Cocklecot, LJ - Indeed, indeed. And are we still on for dinner tomorrow? Wonderful. Now, the case at hand. Many of you may have seen my comments in the national press, where I expressed my firm belief that my good and esteemed and wonderful friend is wholly innocent of all charges. I can assure you that these opinions of mine have had no influence on my judgment in this spurious and groundless case. May I hear the evidence from the prosecution?

Crown Prosecutor - Well m'lud...

Cocklecot, LJ - Yes, thank you, that is quite enough. And the case for the defence?

Snooty, J - I have dedicated my latest book to m'learned friend.

Cocklecot, LJ - Indeed. Compelling defence. I find you wholly innocent, and furthermore I must ask your accusers to rise. You are to be taken from here to a place of execution, where you will have your reputations hung by their necks until they are very ruined. May God have mercy on your souls for daring to question the mangnanimous and wonderful spirit of my good and close personal friend the accused. If anything, he is guilty of being too wonderful.

CASE DISMISSED!

Of course, no such case as this has ever happened. But let me put this to you.

If serious allegations were made against a scientist;
If the investigation of these complaints was carried out by two people who publicly state their admiration and respect for the scientist they are meant to be investigating;
If one of these two writes to a newspaper stating that they believe the object of their investigation is entirely innocent;
If they do this a full three days before the actual hearing that is supposed to decide the truth of this matter;
If at this hearing the complainants are not heard from;
If at this hearing the scientist is allowed to speak, and present copious written material;
If the committee sitting in judgment begins their investigation by singing the scientist's praises....

... well, regardless of whether or not the outcome was correct, wouldn't you have so many doubts about the partiality of the investigators, the neutrality of the committee, and the justice of the whole proceedings, that you would be compelled to declare it a sham, a whitewash, and to have no faith in the findings, nor any respect for those involved?

And thus we view the Aetogate affair...

This is not justice. I don't care if the result is correct. I don't care if the result is wrong. This is a mockery of natural justice. This is a mockery of due process. It does not matter that this is not a judicial proceeding - those who conducted the investigation and who were exonerated have themselves made statements that indicate a desire to see this become a judicial process.

And if that happens, then you can be damn sure that the courts will be interested in the lack of justice and due process.

And finally, should some people concerned read this and be offended by the tone, I wouldn't recommend hurling "libel" and "defamation" bombs this way, like they have towards other commentators. I am very comfortable in my "fair comment" and "vulgar abuse" defences...

BUPA London 10,000 - Sponsor Me?

Tags: BUPA London 10000 British Red Cross sponsor me

On 28th May 2008 I will be taking part in a 10k run in London. I will be running on behalf of the British Red Cross (the British Red Cross is a registered charity, number 220949).

If you want to support the British Red Cross by sponsoring me, then please visit my sponsorship page on JustGiving. All currencies are accepted, and if you are UK resident for tax purposes then please use the GiftAid option.

Wish me luck!