Harry's Blog

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/8510091.stm

A primary school in Weston-super-Mare has banned Valentine cards to save pupils the "emotional trauma" of being rejected.

Now before you send the Eco-Stazi round I just want to make clear that I believe that it's more likely than not that mankind is having an adverse effect on our climate. But my beef is the way that views on climate change are being forced on people and the way language is being used to do so.

We're well used to hearing phrases like "holocaust denier" - and rightly such people are pilloried for being ignorant racist fools. But when similar language is applied to people who are unconvinced by what continue to be a lot of contradictory arguments, bad science and total nonsense it's not surprising people remain sceptical about the concept of man-made climate change.

To describe such people as "climate change deniers" is disingenuous, unfair and really a Godwin'a Law own-goal. It also displays a Newspeak style attempt at controlling thought through language.

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Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8382584.stm

I'm not at all surprised by these problems found at Essex hospitals. I'm waiting for St. John's in Chelmsford to join the list - the lazy nursing, poor management standards and an incompetent consultant there led to a tragedy in my own family.

I have absolutely no idea who to vote for in the next general election. I know some people don't care - but I believe that democracy is important. So I feel I do have to vote. But part of democracy is choice and we really don't seem to have any.

Look at the options:

New Labour - Started well in government (minimum wage, tax credits etc.), then made a complete cock of things by following Bush's insane colonial aspirations in the Middle East. Cosying up to the banks has left us broke and the whole government seems to be in disarray.

Conservative - Oh they look very reasonable now, but I remember the 1980s. While tempted to vote Tory just to annoy my Dad I really can't bring myself to do it. Behind the new smarmy façade I expect the Tory party is as evil as ever. I try not to be evil.

Liberal Democrats - Ha Ha Ha! You're having a laugh.

British National Party - No I'm not mentally ill.

The Greens - See Liberal Democrats.

UKIP - No I'm not the kind of nutter who believes the bigotry published by the Daily Mail.

So there's very little choice really. Which means it's not much of a democracy is it?

I've made it pretty clear in the past how I feel about the increasing dumbing down of the once great BBC News presentation - the silly pointless live linkups etc.

One other thing that's getting on my goat is the way the news deals with people who wish to retain their anonymity. Often these people are filmed from behind, in shadow or without the camera pointing anywhere near their head.

So far so good. But what's really odd and rather irritating is how these people are given a name. For some reason, "This man, who wishes to remain anonymous told us..." isn't good enough.

Instead the reporter usually says something like, "We spoke to Dave...not his real name...about his experience..."

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I received an answer phone message today from Barclays Fraud Prevention, asking me to call 0800 389 1652. I'm glad I actually called the bank before doing a Google search of the number.

If I'd done the search I wouldn't have been able to confirm the attempted (but not successful) fraudulent activity on my bank account. Why?

Well as you may know UK is chock full of complete idiots, most of which seem to be online. And doing a Google search for 0800 389 1652 will lead you to many websites owned by such idiots which claim that this is not a genuine Barclays number.

These people who claim the number is false are either deeply stupid or are actual bank fraudsters, I think the former is most likely. So let me make it quite clear - 0800 389 1652 - really is Barclays Fraud Protection.

An excellent article here in The Times on how people are now too scared of our police state and the ridiculously McCarthiest paedo witch-hunt to come to the aid of children who might require the help of an adult.