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Monday, August 31, 2009

Female Genital Mutilation

Nick Cohen writing in Standpoint magazine shares an excellent article about the willingness of people in the west to turn a blind eye to the assault on so many women and girls worldwide when the issue arises of FGM, Female Genital Mutilation [sometimes called Female Genital Cutting], in fact Nick goes further and rallies against the apologists who have and continue to fight and argue for women’s rights in the West, but draw equivalence or relativism defending horrific practices often based on these women’s skin colour or religion of inheritance is different from their own. Feminism broke down frontiers of Christian based societies but stopped there.

I clicked to Nick’s article after seeing Prodicus had highlighted it, as well as a supporting and equally brilliant piece brilliant piece by Clive James in the same edition. Clive’s piece is on the broader veil of silence and why we are not more critical of women’s rights and inequality, all around the world. I would beg all reading this piece to go read, or to bookmark these pieces and find some time to have a read because frankly not enough is said or written about it. The World Health Organisation estimates that around 3 million girls and women a year are at risk undergo some form of FGM, and that between 100m and 140m in the world today have already undergone the procedure.

If you think that that is no big deal, perhaps you can wait for 2 minutes, watch this video and then begin to draw a conclusion.




It is not usually a good idea when Western democratic nations try to aggressively force their ideals upon developing nations, but on this issue, I think I could a compelling case can be made to be a lot more vocal in what I suspect is a shared public disdain. FGM is a widespread practice that often leaves women physically and mentally scared for life; its affects are devastating and affect every single woman in every town in all countries that allow the practice. Having seen a programme earlier in the year on television, just watching the images haunted me and my wife into a state of shock. I could not find these words here without being shown the way from the linked articles. I am glad I have finally done so, and hope that others with a platform will do the same.

We do indeed smugly claim a moral high ground in western society, and if we are to preach our standards and encourage liberty to flourish, then we should preach that we do not consider it acceptable to mutilate girls in such a horrific manner. It is liberty for all that we must seek, there is now such thing as liberty for the few.

I have also seen that the Devil’s Kitchen has picked up on the original piece by Prodicus and has drawn some typically apt and incisive conclusions. Not least that all religious exemptions recognised under UK law should be reversed and to quote the Devil, “There should be one rule for all, and everyone-everyone-should be equal under the law” I would find that a hard position to argue against.

We must not allow FGM to take place in Britain becuase we cannot legitimise in any way the forced assult of any person, whether their religion or culture demands it or not.

The debate on FGM is already being discussed in some countries where it is practiced, and I offer a few more short videos that I hope will offer a little more insight into the subject.





Make your own minds up if you have not already, but if you were not aware this was going on, at least you are now.

The Price At The Pump

Petrol at the pump has hit 105.9p per litre at my local filling station, yet despite the high price and the fact that oil prices are expected to rise for the rest of this year the Government is adding a further 2p per litre in duty from midnight tonight (2.3p including VAT).

At a time when families are feeling the pinch, and considering the already high levels of duty already collected on fuel, why is the Government pressing ahead with this raise? With the increases in oil price in the last two years prices are up about 40p in a litre already, and that includes additional VAT being collected. If the Conservatives have opposed this move they have not been vocal enough about it, as I haven’t heard any protest from anyone.

If the government really wants to help poor people it should reverse immediately the increase in fuel duty and let everyone of us know what they are doing to help reduce the price of petrol to UK consumers; excluding of course their recently uncovered policy of trading convicted terrorists for oil contracts.



Update 01-Sep-09: Tarquin helpfully provides the below graph which he rightly mentions makes the point much better than words can:





Sunday, August 30, 2009

Suddenly In The Thrall Of The EU

Lifted from Christopher Booker's column in the Sunday Telegraph:







It never fails to surprise how those who were once opposed to the EU find favour when the need it, or "go native". Those who can afford it will always find a get the lawmakers onside.

And what can you and me do about such a blatent attemt to buy favour with the EU?

Absolutely nothing.

Will it succeed?

You know it will.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Recommended Reading

Here is my latest recommended reading list.

Please note, I do not necessarily agree with these posts and articles, however I found them sufficiently interesting to warrant a recommendation:

The All Seeing Eye has found a graph that Fraser Nelson would be proud of.

Trixy revisits one of my favourite videos. Nigel Farage telling of Tony Blair in the EU Parliament.

Unenlightened Commentary with a piece on the acceptable unacceptable except when there is an exception, for some.

The Sun questioned Gordon Browns credentials as a war leader.

And Finally, this one is not for the squeamish, but Dizzy has an exclusive picture of water-boarding taking place.

Enjoy!

Friday, August 28, 2009

A Potential Electoral Fraud Minefield ?

From the Oxford Mail

A SENIOR Oxford City Council official left 200 polling cards in a bag on a wall — and did not tell his bosses when he discovered they were missing.

The error by electoral services manager Martin John was revealed in a council report following June’s county council and European elections, when hundreds of polling cards disappeared.

Last night, the Electoral Commission told the council it must “learn its lesson” and “improve the service for voters” in the city.


The report by Jeremy Thomas, head of legal and democratic services at Oxford City Council, said Mr John, who has been in the role for 12 years, was delivering poll cards in Summertown and Wolvercote when he left the bag on a wall. He was covering for a colleague and had printed 200 extra cards because he thought some were missing for part of Woodstock Road.

But it was only when he was in the area that he realised the cards were not missing at all.
The report, obtained by the Oxford Mail, said: “Unfortunately, Mr John placed the duplicates in a bag on a wall about halfway down Bainton Road to separate them from the original print run which he was delivering and, by an oversight, left them there.


“On finishing the delivery, roughly 45 minutes later, he realised his mistake and went back to the spot where he had left them, but they had gone.”

Abingdon builder Mark Newman, 37, found the cards in a skip in Harpes Road, Sunnymead, three weeks before the county council and European elections on June 4, and handed them to police.


It is bad enough that an error of this nature occurred, it is worse that a supposedly senior official made it and decided not to report it.

However, isn't the real failure here the fact that he just decided to print more cards? Is there no checks in place for this? Can anybody from the council just decide to print electoral cards as they see fit?

He is also the person who delivered the cards, so is it really the case that in England there is no checks nor balances anywhere in the process? If the full responsibility of printing and delivering cards falls to just one person, how can we know when a person is corruptly abusing this system?

Based on this incident it sounds like it would be easy enough to do. I hope the Electoral Commission look at this very closely.

That Sound You Heard Last Night At Around 11.10pm…

...Was my jaw dropping and hitting the floor.

I am quite frankly in a state of disbelief, but I see that the good, sensible and beautiful people that read this blog actually went out and voted for it in the Total Politics Top Blogs Poll.

The top 100 right of centre blogs listing was published last night, and this blog has made a fantastic 48th place. I have no idea how many votes that would have required, but I know it is more that I thought I was likely to get. I shall be adding the appropriate badge to my side bar over the weekend.

I am left with a sense that this blog is punching well above its weight. My readership numbers are still quite low, and I would guess massively lower than some of the other blogs that finished around a similar position; which means that those of you who come here regularly has made me exceptionally proud by taking time out of your lives to register your votes. Please know that I am touched and exceptionally grateful, and I will endeavor to keep doing better to make the blog better.

My surprise did not end there…

I contribute to three blogs, this one, Football Banter which is obviously non-political, and also The Voice of the Resistance, which is a collaborative right of centre political blog that has only been running since late June. This blog also broke into the Top 100 finishing in 58th position which is astounding really as it could only have been going a few weeks before the poll started and illustrates the massive potential of this project.

I want to say Thank You to everyone who voted for this blog and/or The Voice of the Resistance, it is very much appreciated!

Now, back to reality and back to work.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Lisbon Revisited

Not long after when this Labour Government screwed us on a referendum, which was also when newly anointed Liberal Leader Nick Clegg followed suit and did the dirty on those who voted for them as well - The Lisbon Constitutional Treaty, was sent to the Lords. Unlike MP's, some Peers actually read it, and they produced a report on it's changes and implications.

Usefully they produced the below detailing what competencies would sit where in a post Lisbon world... They have been a little kind to the EU on a couple of scores, but never the less it is a useful visual guide and worth revisiting as Ireland's second referendum draws ever closer.





Recommended Reading

Here is my latest recommended reading list.

Please note, I do not necessarily agree with these posts and articles, however I found them sufficiently interesting to warrant a recommendation:

Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert .COM says that David Cameron has committed to the payback of unlawful bank charges.

Sue says the Government are fed up with people going around smashing pint glasses over each other, and as such are looking to replace the traditional pint glass with a plastic beaker.

Emily Sutton on Total Politics Blog says that the UK have nullified a 25 year old piece of legislation because no one informed the EU Commission that it was being voted on in Parliament.

Cry Baby says that Switzerland is taking action against Google to protects it’s citizens right to privacy.

And finally, Subrosa has not only a statistic that which shames the Labour Government, but also proves that Socialism does not irradiate Poverty.

Enjoy!

Civil Liberties

This is doing the rounds on the VOTR circuit, and is well worth a watch.



TPUC Home

There is a shortage of coherent strategy from those in or aspiring to Government on how the erosion of civil liberties can be reversed. Even more depressingly there is no real shared vision on which rights are considered as inalienable; partly because we know that in the eyes of successive governments there is no civil liberty that can be allowed to stand in the way are in of the agenda of the day, and because we are so easily rail-roaded.

So today can be Civil Liberty quote day here on D1979, because I think we need to remind ourselves of why the protection of Civil Liberties is the duty of all free people and of the dangers of ignorance in this matter.

"People can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders...All you have to do is tell them they're being attacked and denounce the pacifists for a lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country." Hermann Goering

"Accustomed to trample on the rights of others, you have lost the genius of your own independence and become the fit subjects of the first cunning tyrant who rises among you" Abraham Lincoln

“Men are qualified for civil liberties in exact proportion to their disposition to put moral chains upon their appetites: in proportion as their love of justice is above their rapacity” Edmund Burke

“All that's necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing.” Edmund Burke

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible make violent revolution inevitable." Dr Martin Luther King

"Be not intimidated... nor suffer yourselves to be wheedled out of your liberties by any pretense of politeness, delicacy, or decency. These, as they are often used, are but three different names for hypocrisy, chicanery and cowardice." John Adams

“A people who extend civil liberties only to preferred groups start down the path either to dictatorship of the right or the left.” William Orville Douglas

“When complaints are freely heard, deeply considered and speedily reformed, then is the utmost bound of civil liberty attained that wise men look for.” John Milton

Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties. John Milton

The basis of a democratic state is liberty. Aristotle

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty or safety" Benjamin Franklin

God grant that not only the love of liberty but a thorough knowledge of the rights of man pervade all the nations of the earth, so that a philosopher may pervade all the nations of the earth, so that a philosopher may set his foot anywhere on its surface and say:" This is my country." Benjamin Franklin

It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once. David Hume

Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined. Patrick Henry

He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself. Thomas Paine

The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance. John Philpot Curran

There is no conflict between liberty and safety. We will have both or neither. Ramsey Clark

I would think there are hundreds or possibly thousands more apt quotes in the same vein, so feel free to leave any additional ones in the comments.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Another Daniel Hannan Interview

Just seen this on Paul Waugh’s politics blog, it’s another interview with Daniel Hannan from the US. This one, like his recent NHS one, is bound to cause a stir as Daniel when asked cites Enoch Powell as one of his political influences.

Interviewer: "Who are your political influences? I've seen you reference Ron Paul, I believe you have referenced Hayek and Freidman on your blog.

Hannan: "Yeah, all of those guys. In the British context, Enoch Powell. He was, as somebody who understood the importance of national democracy, who understood why you need to live in an independent country and what that meant, as well as being a free marketeer and a small government Conservative."



Tuesday, August 25, 2009

I Am Not Surprised

The below extract is lifted entirely from a post called From The Horses Mouth over on Bloggers4UKIP.

"CAMERON DIRECT" MEETING AT STOKE HILL JUNIOR SCHOOL, NR. EXETER ON 8TH MAY 2009AFFIDAVIT

Question: Mr. Cameron You have promised the country a Referendum on the Lisbon Treaty when you become Prime Minister. Unlike the Labour Party who reneged on this promise, can we be assured that this is going to happen?

Answer: Yes, I have always said that I will give you a Referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, as long as the Treaty is not in force by the time we get into office.

Question: If the Lisbon Treaty has been ratified by the 27 countries and is in force at that time what will you do then?

Answer: If the Treaty is in force by the time we get into office it will have already in place a President and other pieces of legislation, therefore we will have to live with that and try and change from within the areas that matter to Britain.

Signed by: Elizabeth Curzon-Howe

Witnessed by: Richard Atkinson

--

I am personally not surprised, and it is only a small move from the previous "will not let matters rest" line that we heard last year. But to me and I suspect many others there is a fine line that it looks like David Cameron is looking to cross. He is not willing to stand up to the EU and is content to allow an unpopular amount of power and control be seized by the EU despite the failure of the current government to honour their referendum pledge.

The sting is because it stinks of politics, Cameron has not allowed talk on the EU from Conservatives, except the line on Lisbon and allowing a referendum if not already ratified; what exactly was the policy... offering a referendum on a then defunct treaty, or do nothing - very cavalier.

The thing is, this is the most reliable thing about the Conservative Party, their prompt abandonment of any sensible stance in opposition to the EU if too many people also find favour. Why are the Conservatives scared of representing the sensible majority of opinion on this most fundamental of matters? And if they can't here, can they be trusted to do so on anything else?

When Conservatives have tried to talk me into to being more supportive of David Cameron and the Conservatives I do whole-heatedly agree that we need a change of Government in Westminster and that as things stand the Conservatives are the best place to deliver on some of the changes we need. However, I do not, have not and will never trust their position on the EU, and I do not believe they will ever be the party to lead the UK out of the EU or even to do what the majority of people want if it flies in the faces of the Westminster metrosexual thinking.

Step forward a party that can, and will.

A Small Request

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Recommended Reading

Here is my latest recommended reading list.

Please note, I do not necessarily agree with these posts and articles, however I found them sufficiently interesting to warrant a recommendation:

John Ward sets out how the Communitarian's are setting out to create a new world order.

Goodnight Vienna on Calling England asks if we have the Government we deserve?

HMRC is Shite says that if you have had your fags pinched by HMRC, you may be able to get them back now.

Henry North London posted a video on The Voice of the Resistance asking Who Controls The Money Supply?

And finally, Carly's Blog has pictures of twelve comically poor attempts at Parking.

Enjoy!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Paedophile Gets Viagra On NHS

I was just on Twitter when I spotted this link and I am not sure if I am a day behind or seeing a story from tomorrows paper.

What the hell is happening to our society when a known Peadophile with form stretching over 30 years and is out of Prison because a judge was concerned about his age and health is being handed sexual stimulants by the state?

This is NOT a symbol that we are a part of an enlightened society; it is however a wake up call that we are a long way down the wrong path, and from what I can tell the handbrake on the handcart is broke!



Update 22:22: Seriously folks, WTF?!

A Few Thoughts On The NHS "Debate"..

Daniel Hannan is again grabbing the political headlines by giving some talks in America about the drawbacks to Socialised Medicine, and dispelling some of the myths there about how the NHS really is over here.

The most annoying and depressing aspect of this is the immediate attempts by the British left to smear Hannan and shut down a debate before it has even happened. Andy Burnham even went so far as to suggest that Daniel Hannan is “unpatriotic”… I know few people Andy Burnham seriously, but still he is a Minister, and to make such a suggestion is not just comically inaccurate, but a calculated insult.

Here’s what I want to add to the debate. Firstly I am like most people in the UK, my family and I have had good experiences of the NHS and we have had dreadful experiences, but I have not experienced to any degree healthcare in any other country first hand. So, my experiences and opinions stem from a bubble of prescribed ignorance.

If we can have the debate, it needs to be wider than offering the US system as the alternative, there are others. Dan has pointed this out already but he and Douglas Carswell’s preferred alternative is that of the model used in Singapore, and this is the alternative that they set out in their book, The Plan, published last year. [In contrast to another smear, this time allegedly from Tom Watson, who claimed Dan Hannan was going abroad casting assertions that he would not make at home.] I have read The Plan, and from memory their healthcare idea is to have citizens save through health schemes their own money to pay for healthcare to be drawn upon as it is needed, additionally people will need insurance to pay for more expensive healthcare should it be required. The poorest in society will be provided for by the State, as and when it is needed. The system itself becomes open to price influence and consumer pressures and will naturally seek ways to compete for custom by improving service and offering competitive pricing. Medical staff will naturally seek to be better so that they can themselves do better. When the system fails, individuals can seek recompense openly and fairly.

This may not be exactly as was written in “The Plan” but is the motion at a high level.

The well off do have the advantage of being able to pay for better doctors and facilities; but in contrast to the UK system now this will be more widely available than is currently available to the smaller, but wealthier who can still buck the system. Perversely the less than 10% who can afford to do so in the UK now, simply buy their way to the front of the queue and will likely end up in the same operating theatre, with the same doctor using the same tools, the other 90% or so have to wait their turn for a slot to open for their treatments.

So, what troubles me is; why exactly is it so offensive to the British Left that alternatives systems are discussed that may actually improve the state of health in the people of this country? There is compelling evidence that there are other systems employed in the developed world where a UK equivalent could save more lives; so it cannot be a body count issue.

It is of course because the NHS is the bedrock of the Socialist argument in the UK; it is held up as universally popular and universally acknowledged as being a success. But away from the Government and out of the mainstream press that is not entirely how everybody views the NHS. If you tug at the threads of the NHS and show that things can actually be done better, cheaper and more efficiently then the whole of the Labour Parties core beliefs can come into question. The criticism and attacks we hear from Labour come from a position of fear, rather than of confidence.

I gave it some, but not really a lot of thought over the last week, and I am personally in no hurry to bring down the NHS. Firstly, there has been no debate and no consensus that an alternative should be sought. This however I would like to contribute to. Secondly, as with all change the fear of change clouds the uncertainty of the potential of improvement. Without more cheerleaders and an inspired vision it is hard to have confidence that a change would be successful… but that can change.

The fear stems from the certainty of what almost certainly will go wrong. Though I am not convinced the whole of the NHS is behind the notion that the State must run all, there would be enough organised opposition to ensure that any moves to change will be fiercely opposed. We can be sure of this fact because we have the benefit of history on our side. Also, no matter what changes are made, and no matter how good things get, we can only move from an imperfect system into a different imperfect system, and it is there that those who are ill served and neglected will be held up as the victims of what I would assume will fast be referred to as corporate healthcare.

So, as is probably evident, I am personally clearer on the fact that I think we should just be open and allow ourselves the luxury of talking about how we could make things better, than I am on how I personally would advocate how we can really make improvements. But the more everyone talks, the clearer these positions and alternative will become. That is the benefit of living in a free society, power and change can emanate from public debate, rather than from those who prescribe how they think we should governed.

If you are still convinced we can do no better than to allow the State to run the Health Service, I invite you to imagine for one moment a contrasting example. In your mind’s eye, look at how the State has taken more and more control in the past 40 years of Education. Think about how things were in all terms, does the money the rich have buy more or less of an advantage today compared to 40 years ago? What standard of service do the poorest get? Are the standards better or worse than 40 years ago? Now ask yourselves the same questions of your food supply?

Perhaps a bizarre example, but what I am trying to illustrate is that in 40 years, through private enterprise, Supermarkets like Tesco’s & Sainsbury’s, as well as your local stores and restaurants have done more for food and diet equality to the people of the UK than the State has done for education equality. For the few of you who scoff, I invite you to now image the reverse scenario, if food supply was a ring fenced competence for Government? Would it be cheaper, or as widely available? Try to imagine how that would affect yours and everyone standard of living. In that bizzarro world, you would be hard pushed to imagine how the free enterprise system could be providing food much more easily and cheaply, but we know it to be possible.

Hopefully, such an example illustrates that it is not unpatriotic to simply aspire to live our lives free from State control. Also, just because we don’t yet have all of the answers to how we can make things better, the first step is to talk openly and to include everyone in those discussions, because everyone is affected. Then hopefully, down the line and with popular consensus try some new ideas out for real giving them a real chance to succeed or fail.

Finally, and just because I think it is important to mention something that is sometimes, strangely ignored and occasionally spun inaccurately. The NHS is free at the point of use, in that an ambulance driver no more needs a credit card than does your GP’s receptionist; but the NHS is not free. It is in fact very expensive and consumes a big chunk of the taxes we pay.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Back In The Saddle

I am back blogging again after a short break, I apologise to both my readers for my absence, but as explained before, the ol' noggin was going a little screwy - for some reason I felt fine writing about football, but every time I tried to apply myself here it just wasn't working. I am feeling better now in that respect.

Work however has gone crazy in recent months. Not because we are bucking the credit crunch, but because we have less than half the staff we had this time last year to do even more work. Things were bad enough but in late July another member of our team was "let go," and progress from his consultation seems to indicate there will be no way back unless others leave of their own accord.

This is of course a roundabout way of trying to evoke a mild feeling of understanding whilst subtly prodding your thoughts to the competition for what used to be amusing referred to as "my free time". Blogging is becoming less fun, and I have less time in which to do it.

You will perhaps scoff aloud, but about a year ago now in the lead up to my wedding I shared a thought with my intended. We talked about how I was contributing in the comments occasionally on mainstream blogs like Mr Hannans, and Guido's and I shared my frustration at not being able to shape the questions being asked and take the debate I thought it should go in. My genius idea was to start a blog after our wedding; but I had absolutely no idea of the length and breadth of the existing blogosphere. Turns out, if I had of looked a little harder I would have found more outlets for that frustration.

Fear not. I have taken stock and I am not packing my bags just yet. It occurs that given the extent of the blogs on offer I am hardly doing anything original enough to warrant stretching myself needlessly. Largely for the last 9 months I have enjoyed writing here, and it is helping me tap into a literary muscle that I knew was always in me but seldom exercised. So, and this is not carved in stone and is just my intentions now; I am looking to keep blogging here until about 100 days passed the UK General Election, whenever that may be. Please bare with me should I not post for a couple of days.

I may regret sharing that fact with you all in advance, but it is nearly always best to be honest about these things. I think by that point I will have been doing this long enough and will hopefully have vented my spleen and expressed what I hope will be considered some original thinking in a few areas...at least to a sufficient degree to be able to not ruin any more parties by ranting on about politics!! I also assume that by then it will feel about right to wind things down. If however, by some miracle Gordon Brown wins the next election, then I may well have topped myself moments after, and in that situation the blog will simply stop being updated at that point. I also have spared a thought for The Voice Of The Resistance, where I hope to be more active than I have been in recent weeks, as it is shaping up to being an excellent center for like minded opinions and seems to be growing support nicely.

It seems right to me, in my head to do as Cato suggested and keep buggering on for now and I hope that I have not peaked too soon, I feel that there are a few good posts left in me, and that I can join with others in running what seems like the most unpopular and incompetent Government ever out of town. As always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts and opinions at my nonsensical ramblings, and there is plenty more of those to come.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Recommended Reading

Here is my latest recommended reading list.

Please note, I do not necessarily agree with these posts and articles, however I found them sufficiently interesting to warrant a recommendation:

Letters From A Tory asks is Wikio is worth worrying about?

Roger Helmer with a warning of what is to come when the next phase of the European Arrest Warrant is rolled out.

New Right Blog draws a comparison with Richard M. Nixon's legacy and that of New Labour.

Patently bangs his head on the table after hearing about the latest Government Tsar.

And finally, Grumpy Old Man with a some useful translations for those who have struggled to keep up with the latest Politically Correct jargon... (It's political correctness gone mad I say!)

Enjoy!

Friday, August 14, 2009

Last, Last Chance

Last chance folks to join the Football Banter Fantasy Football mini-league, Tarquin posted the details HERE along with his Tips for this weekends action.

My team is in, and I am feeling confident about my selection.

Green

Lescott
Upson
Samba
A. Ferdinand

Mascherano
P. Neville
Gerrard (c)
A. Young

Berbatov
Torres

Subs:
Schwarzer
Ridgewell
Anderson
Zamora

Monday, August 03, 2009

In A Rut

I am taking something of a blogging break, it's all blah, blah, blah in my head and I seem to have developed blog-o-rhea. I am struggling for the motivation with other things going on in the real world and when I do sit down and try it just isn't happening. I also have a couple of bigger pieces that are overdue for publication that just ain't gonna happen with current levels of fuzzy brain.

So, I am going to take my own advice and stop for a couple of weeks. I will keep an eye out and be posting occasionally over on FB but that is it on D1979 for now. I hope to return more focused and get back to something approaching normal form.

I shall be keeping an eye on the comments, the moderation will go on if it is needed.

Saturday, August 01, 2009

July's Top Referrals

I want to say a big THANK YOU to those of you who has sent traffic this way, below is my Top 10 referrers for July, with previous months position in brackets.




4. (-3) Cato Says


=5. (+6) Subrosa

=5. (+4) Twitter




11. (-6) 10 Downing Street by Lord Elvis, 12. (-3) Iain Dale, 13. (new) Tory Totty, =14. (new) CNN, =14. (new) Mark Reckons, =14. (-7) Events Dear Boy, Events, =17. (new) My Own Doubts, =17. (-6) Scunnert Nation, =17. (-10) John Ward, 20. (new) The All Seeing Eye.

The Top 3 posts for traffic were:




Thank you to every one who visits here, and who links here, please continue to pop by and leave your comments.