<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850527850514079935</id><updated>2012-02-17T04:54:59.901Z</updated><title type='text'>Council Estate Scum</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Vicky Pollard</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17900995773319573340</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='31' src='http://ldc.upenn.edu/myl/llog/vp.jpg'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>14</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850527850514079935.post-5515179632899134198</id><published>2010-02-15T07:30:00.000Z</published><updated>2010-02-15T07:32:03.828Z</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8515592.stm"&gt;You've come a long way, baby&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;Almost three-quarters of women said if a rape victim got into bed with the assailant before an attack they should accept some responsibility. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One-third blamed victims who had dressed provocatively or gone back to the attacker's house for a drink. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The survey of more than 1,000 people in London marked the 10th anniversary of the Haven service for rape victims.&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;br /&gt;For Fuck's Sake.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2850527850514079935-5515179632899134198?l=councilestatescum.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/feeds/5515179632899134198/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2010/02/youve-come-long-way-baby-almost-three.html#comment-form' title='34 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/5515179632899134198'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/5515179632899134198'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2010/02/youve-come-long-way-baby-almost-three.html' title=''/><author><name>Vicky Pollard</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17900995773319573340</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='31' src='http://ldc.upenn.edu/myl/llog/vp.jpg'/></author><thr:total>34</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850527850514079935.post-2191392891604807252</id><published>2010-02-12T16:45:00.002Z</published><updated>2010-02-12T16:49:26.364Z</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/8512620.stm"&gt;Dear God&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;A mother and her partner accused of murdering her seven-year-old daughter by starving her to death have admitted her manslaughter.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;[Khyra Ishaq] was so emaciated at the time of her death, on 17 May, that her condition was outside the experience of medical professionals, prosecutor Timothy Raggatt QC has told the jury. &lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It's this kind of shit that makes me conflicted about the death penalty.  The man had mental health problems, apparently, but the "mother" has no such excuse.  What the fuck good is it keeping that animal alive?&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2850527850514079935-2191392891604807252?l=councilestatescum.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/feeds/2191392891604807252/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2010/02/dear-god-mother-and-her-partner-accused.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/2191392891604807252'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/2191392891604807252'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2010/02/dear-god-mother-and-her-partner-accused.html' title=''/><author><name>Vicky Pollard</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17900995773319573340</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='31' src='http://ldc.upenn.edu/myl/llog/vp.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850527850514079935.post-5411317650005228460</id><published>2010-02-12T11:04:00.001Z</published><updated>2010-02-12T11:11:00.374Z</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>&lt;a href = "http://www.hurryupharry.org/2010/02/12/kill-the-jews-says-oxford-isoc-rep/"&gt;More depressing news from academe&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;The student who appeared to shout “Slaughter the Jews” at Israeli minister Danny Ayalon has claimed the Deputy Foreign minister misunderstood his Arabic.&lt;br /&gt;The Oxford Student newspaper has named the protester as second year St Edmund’s Hall student Noor Rashid.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Several eyewitnesses said they heard Mr Rashid shout: “Itbah Al-Yahud”, an Arabic phrase meaning “Slaughter the Jews”. Mr Ayalon translated the phrase with this meaning.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But Mr Rashid claimed that he had in fact shouted “Khaybar ya Yahod”, a classic Arabic battle cry referring to a seventh-century attack by Mohammed on the Jewish community in Khaybar where the Jews were conquered and made to pay half of their income to the Muslim population.&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Ah, so that makes it all all right then, yeah?  And look, the little darling is going to be making amends: -&lt;br /&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;I will be writing letters to all my Jewish friends to express my sincere apologies, and also to clarify my remarks&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What "Jewish friends", you dissembling cunt?  All the BNP fuckers I've ever come across online have claimed to have some rainbow coalition of friends.  This is, of course, belied by the fact said BNP fuckers are vicious racists with filthy racist mouths - just like this Oxford ISOC bastard.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I suspect, though, that now he has started wibbling on about how his Jew-hating yell came from the fucking Koran, Old Bill won't go near him for fear of upsetting the gibbering, death-threatening, Tube-bombing wing of the Religion of Peace.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2850527850514079935-5411317650005228460?l=councilestatescum.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/feeds/5411317650005228460/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2010/02/more-depressing-news-from-academe.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/5411317650005228460'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/5411317650005228460'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2010/02/more-depressing-news-from-academe.html' title=''/><author><name>Vicky Pollard</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17900995773319573340</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='31' src='http://ldc.upenn.edu/myl/llog/vp.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850527850514079935.post-1677545080862474382</id><published>2010-02-12T08:39:00.002Z</published><updated>2010-02-12T08:44:11.445Z</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8511883.stm"&gt;This&lt;/a&gt; is fucking annoying.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;New powers to control lap-dancing clubs are being given to councils in England and Wales, the Home Office has said.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Current licensing laws put clubs in the same category as pubs and cafes and councils can object only on the grounds of crime, nuisance or public safety. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;From April, clubs will be classed as sex establishments and residents will be able to oppose venues for being "inappropriate" to the area. &lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So I think we can guess what that means.  While Tarquil and Jocasta Bourgie will be spared the sight of ladies' bosoms on posters advertising Peppermint Brastrap as Mummy steers the Range Rover towards St Custard's, the same consideration won't be extended to Spud and Geeta Prole, who already have to navigate used blobs and discarded needles on their way to Bogbreath Comp.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2850527850514079935-1677545080862474382?l=councilestatescum.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/feeds/1677545080862474382/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2010/02/this-is-fucking-annoying.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/1677545080862474382'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/1677545080862474382'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2010/02/this-is-fucking-annoying.html' title=''/><author><name>Vicky Pollard</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17900995773319573340</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='31' src='http://ldc.upenn.edu/myl/llog/vp.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850527850514079935.post-1076839222426288242</id><published>2010-02-12T07:20:00.002Z</published><updated>2010-02-12T07:37:49.651Z</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>RIP Alexander McQueen.  There'll be lots of speculation about why he killed himself - grief over his mother's very recent death would seem to be the most likely candidate for the trigger, heaped on top of ongoing grief about the death of Isabella Blow just over two years ago.  Poor man.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;object width="425" height="344"&gt;&lt;param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JE-xYSLunwY&amp;hl=en_GB&amp;fs=1&amp;color1=0x2b405b&amp;color2=0x6b8ab6"&gt;&lt;/param&gt;&lt;param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"&gt;&lt;/param&gt;&lt;param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"&gt;&lt;/param&gt;&lt;embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JE-xYSLunwY&amp;hl=en_GB&amp;fs=1&amp;color1=0x2b405b&amp;color2=0x6b8ab6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"&gt;&lt;/embed&gt;&lt;/object&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2850527850514079935-1076839222426288242?l=councilestatescum.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/feeds/1076839222426288242/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2010/02/rip-alexander-mcqueen.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/1076839222426288242'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/1076839222426288242'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2010/02/rip-alexander-mcqueen.html' title=''/><author><name>Vicky Pollard</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17900995773319573340</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='31' src='http://ldc.upenn.edu/myl/llog/vp.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850527850514079935.post-4347143549975815884</id><published>2010-02-11T11:53:00.001Z</published><updated>2010-02-11T11:59:41.123Z</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>Well, goodness me, I've been away from this blog for a long long time, innit?  I'm going to try really really hard at keeping it up, if for no other reason than that my other half is now on Blogger too(here at &lt;a href = "http://cheesohol.blogspot.com"&gt;Cheesohol&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Anyhoo, it is February 11, or 22 Bahman in Iran, the anniversary of the Revolution that saw the Shah deposed and clerical fascists put in his place.  I'd just like to say &lt;i&gt;Marg Bar Diktator&lt;/i&gt; in support of the brave democrats risking their lives to try and bring an end to this repulsive regime.  Liveblogging of events is at &lt;a href = "http://www.astreetjournalist.com/2010/02/10/we%E2%80%99re-live-blogging-from-iran%E2%80%99streets-%DA%AF%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B4-%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%AE%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1/"&gt;Street Journalist&lt;/a&gt;, also being tweeted &lt;a href = "http://twitter.com/search?q=%2322bahman"&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2850527850514079935-4347143549975815884?l=councilestatescum.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/feeds/4347143549975815884/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2010/02/well-goodness-me-ive-been-away-from.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/4347143549975815884'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/4347143549975815884'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2010/02/well-goodness-me-ive-been-away-from.html' title=''/><author><name>Vicky Pollard</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17900995773319573340</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='31' src='http://ldc.upenn.edu/myl/llog/vp.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850527850514079935.post-2866619895458404287</id><published>2009-02-24T20:41:00.001Z</published><updated>2009-02-24T20:43:53.042Z</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>Dear God, things must be bad.  I find myself mentally applauding &lt;a href = "http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/23/madeleine-bunting-welfare-reform"&gt;an article by Madeline Bunting&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;The government has poured billions into propping up a bankrupt financial system, and only whimpers ineffectually about millions being paid out in bonus packages to bankers courtesy of the British taxpayer. But while its lavish generosity to one set of citizens seems to have few limits, it is hard at work on welfare reforms aimed at another set of citizens which pare back even further the meagre sums on which they are expected to keep body and soul together.&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Yep, and it's all set to &lt;a href = "http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/feb/24/public-spending-recession-health-education"&gt;get worse all round&lt;/a&gt;.  Thanks Gordo.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2850527850514079935-2866619895458404287?l=councilestatescum.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/feeds/2866619895458404287/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2009/02/dear-god-things-must-be-bad.html#comment-form' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/2866619895458404287'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/2866619895458404287'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2009/02/dear-god-things-must-be-bad.html' title=''/><author><name>Vicky Pollard</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17900995773319573340</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='31' src='http://ldc.upenn.edu/myl/llog/vp.jpg'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850527850514079935.post-202745802709706878</id><published>2009-02-20T07:06:00.002Z</published><updated>2009-02-20T07:12:23.848Z</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>You couldn't make it up.  &lt;a href = "http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/4701180/Pupils-told-to-think-like-a-suicide-bomber.html"&gt;A teaching pack on extremism&lt;/a&gt; asks pupils to prepare a presentation on the 7/7 bombings from the point of view of the bombers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A perfect illustration of what's wrong with this country.  This pack is meant to counteract extremism.  What bright spark thought it would therefore be a good idea to ask children to imagine themselves into being a suicide bomber?  It would make more sense to ask them to imagine themselves in the role of &lt;i&gt;victim&lt;/i&gt; of these murderers, in order to develop some sense of empathy with their fellow human beings and thus, hopefully, make them aware that these atrocities hurt real, living people.  So if the jihadists come calling with their Manichean world view and their cancerous philosophy, maybe one of them at least will turn away from it because they have experienced a ghost of the pain it causes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The pack has now been withdrawn, but as it has already been circulated around schools, including Islamic schools, some damage has already been done.  Whoever got this pack together should be sacked.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2850527850514079935-202745802709706878?l=councilestatescum.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/feeds/202745802709706878/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2009/02/you-couldnt-make-it-up.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/202745802709706878'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/202745802709706878'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2009/02/you-couldnt-make-it-up.html' title=''/><author><name>Vicky Pollard</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17900995773319573340</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='31' src='http://ldc.upenn.edu/myl/llog/vp.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850527850514079935.post-4157366797267052813</id><published>2009-02-18T13:14:00.000Z</published><updated>2009-02-18T13:17:05.797Z</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>Goodbyeeee, goodbyeeee!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Abu Qatada will be &lt;a href = "http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7896457.stm"&gt;leaving this country&lt;/a&gt; to face some serious jail time in Jordan.  Excellent news.  Coming on top of the &lt;a href = "http://www.hurryupharry.org/2009/02/17/who-is-an-extremist/"&gt;new proposals for defining what is an Islamist extremist&lt;/a&gt;, it looks like the UK might finally be growing a set of functioning gonads.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2850527850514079935-4157366797267052813?l=councilestatescum.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/feeds/4157366797267052813/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2009/02/goodbyeeee-goodbyeeee-abu-qatada-will.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/4157366797267052813'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/4157366797267052813'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2009/02/goodbyeeee-goodbyeeee-abu-qatada-will.html' title=''/><author><name>Vicky Pollard</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17900995773319573340</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='31' src='http://ldc.upenn.edu/myl/llog/vp.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850527850514079935.post-693805117023346449</id><published>2009-02-16T13:15:00.000Z</published><updated>2009-02-16T13:21:49.854Z</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>Is there any political creed current and with influence in the world today that is more inimical to happy human existence than Islamism?  In Malakand, in the north west of Pakistan, Taliban-backed militants have managed to &lt;a href = "http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/15/pakistan-islamic-law"&gt;squeeze concessions&lt;/a&gt; out of the government.  This will not be the end of it, as emboldened by this capitulation, the militants seek ever greater concessions in ever greater areas of the country.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The chilling effect on cultural life is evident as already Peshawar has become &lt;a href = "http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i-nrJb2aCe5y33VJN0H74K5GZGjQD96C7LE00"&gt;too dangerous for entertainers to work in&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;As Taliban militants gain a stronger hold in this region of Pakistan, they are imposing their view that music, singing and other such arts are un-Islamic. Several entertainers have been kidnapped or killed, while many others have fled, quit or watched their work opportunities dwindle. Criminal gangs seeking to extort money are also suspected of involvement as overall security deteriorates...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;..."What can I do?" asked Zardad Khan, a popular 4-foot-2-inch comedic actor who has received several telephone threats. "I'm trying to bring smiles to the society and the people, but my life is getting more miserable with each passing day."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Khan said he used to have roles in five or six movies a month. But in the last four months, he's had only one — and he had to travel to Lahore for production because it's too unsafe to film in Peshawar.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"If we get killed, no one cares," he said.&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Can anything more adequately sum up the bleakness, the greyness, the unremitting misery of Islamist rule than the banning of music, poetry, film, dance, comedy...&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2850527850514079935-693805117023346449?l=councilestatescum.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/feeds/693805117023346449/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2009/02/is-there-any-political-creed-current.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/693805117023346449'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/693805117023346449'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2009/02/is-there-any-political-creed-current.html' title=''/><author><name>Vicky Pollard</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17900995773319573340</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='31' src='http://ldc.upenn.edu/myl/llog/vp.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850527850514079935.post-4824205798683789920</id><published>2009-02-16T07:55:00.000Z</published><updated>2009-02-16T08:03:25.272Z</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>Things look set to get a little heated in the nation's prisons as the government attempts to get a quart out of a pint pot by &lt;a href = "http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7891829.stm"&gt;loading up junior staff with more responsibility&lt;/a&gt;.  See health and education for the template.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Talk of "efficiency drives" at a time when millions of pounds worth of public money is likely to be trousered by the very bankers who got us into the present economic mess is both hollow and infuriating.  People will rightly ask if billions of pounds can be found for the banks, then why not a bit of cash for the prisons, already working on a shoestring budget?  You can pretty much insert any public service into that sentence.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Summer of discontent anyone?&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2850527850514079935-4824205798683789920?l=councilestatescum.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/feeds/4824205798683789920/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2009/02/things-look-set-to-get-little-heated-in.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/4824205798683789920'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/4824205798683789920'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2009/02/things-look-set-to-get-little-heated-in.html' title=''/><author><name>Vicky Pollard</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17900995773319573340</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='31' src='http://ldc.upenn.edu/myl/llog/vp.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850527850514079935.post-2060863365424633461</id><published>2009-02-15T08:44:00.000Z</published><updated>2009-02-15T08:58:42.857Z</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>All sorts of hoo ha about that &lt;a href = "http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/02/14/boy.baby.dad.england/"&gt;13 year old kid fathering a child&lt;/a&gt; with his 15 year old girlfriend.  The usual middle class contempt for working class people being aired and exercised, of course, and some Claire Rayneresque hand-wringing about our broken society. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Of course, it's not the best start in the world for the little girl to have underage parents.  It's not the best option in the world for Alfie and Chantelle to have a child while still being children themselves.  But I wish them well, because by God they're going to need some good wishes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;How did we get here?  How did Britain come to top the European charts for teenage pregnancy?  Yes, as &lt;a href = "http://nhsblogdoc.blogspot.com/2009/02/how-to-stop-masturbation.html"&gt;Dr Crippen points out&lt;/a&gt;, that bad old British cultural wince about sex probably isn't helping, along with the voluntary nature of participation in sex education and, to some extent, the rise of "faith" schools with their superstitious babble.  But surely, even in the face of all this, there's just enough knowledge out there to make the link between unprotected sex and babies?  And so why would Alfie and Chantelle choose to risk having a baby?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I suspect it's got a lot to do with diminished expectations.  Not for Alfie and Chantelle the certain prospect of A levels, a gap year bumming round Europe or the Far East then uni before dad paves the way into a nice little earner.  When they look around them, they don't see people in big houses with nice jobs and nice cars going on holiday four times a year.  They see minimum wage-slavery and missed opportunities, failure and frustration and poverty, all to a background of carping criticism from the people in the big houses down the road.  So why not have a baby?  Something to do, isn't it, and you might just get a little extra in your hand from the social.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The way to fix this?  Yes, compulsory sex education; yes, good advice about contraception; yes, freely available contraception and lots of it.  But also we need to think about the kind of society that abandons people to a lifetime of benefit dependency and penury, then slags them off for it.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2850527850514079935-2060863365424633461?l=councilestatescum.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/feeds/2060863365424633461/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2009/02/all-sorts-of-hoo-ha-about-that-13-year.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/2060863365424633461'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/2060863365424633461'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2009/02/all-sorts-of-hoo-ha-about-that-13-year.html' title=''/><author><name>Vicky Pollard</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17900995773319573340</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='31' src='http://ldc.upenn.edu/myl/llog/vp.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850527850514079935.post-2655660238179413433</id><published>2008-12-13T11:26:00.001Z</published><updated>2008-12-13T11:27:27.999Z</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>New &lt;a href = "http://www.alibaba.com/catalog/11046493/Willy_Wyp_s_New_Toilet_Wipe_For_All_Males.html"&gt;Willy Wyp's&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;    &lt;blockquote&gt;Willy Wyps are a new, unique product to stop males from shaking their Willy and leaving drips and drops around the toilet area. They also prevent drops from spilling in the trousers to cause wet spots and stains.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;    Willy Wyps Benefits:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;    Discourages the traditional shake, rattle and roll.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;    Protects the toilet surrounds - Saves on cleaning.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;    Protects the trousers from wet spots and stains.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;    Conveys a subtle message to all toilet users.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;    Many medical professionals advise wiping as a precaution to avoid urinary infection.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;    Willy Wyps Features:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;    Easy to install - Positioned for males to use.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;    One handed operation to remove a wipe.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;    No twisting, bending or having to tear off paper.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;    The used wipe is flushed down the toilet&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I don't know what's more disturbing - calling cocks "willies" like this was being marketed at nine-year old boys or the misplaced apostrophe.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2850527850514079935-2655660238179413433?l=councilestatescum.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/feeds/2655660238179413433/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-willy-wyps-willy-wyps-are-new.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/2655660238179413433'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/2655660238179413433'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-willy-wyps-willy-wyps-are-new.html' title=''/><author><name>Vicky Pollard</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17900995773319573340</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='31' src='http://ldc.upenn.edu/myl/llog/vp.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850527850514079935.post-8423333800020000987</id><published>2008-12-13T11:19:00.000Z</published><updated>2008-12-13T11:20:24.590Z</updated><title type='text'>Inaugural post</title><content type='html'>The old blog is dead, welcome to the new blog.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2850527850514079935-8423333800020000987?l=councilestatescum.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/feeds/8423333800020000987/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2008/12/inaugural-post.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/8423333800020000987'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2850527850514079935/posts/default/8423333800020000987'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://councilestatescum.blogspot.com/2008/12/inaugural-post.html' title='Inaugural post'/><author><name>Vicky Pollard</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17900995773319573340</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='31' src='http://ldc.upenn.edu/myl/llog/vp.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
