God Keeping His secrets?

Barely a day after being switched on, the large hadron collider suffered a glitch - a contact overheated, a magnet melted (serious when it's supposed to be operating at 2 degrees above absolute zero), and a tonne of coolant - liquid helium, at the surprisingly low price of $5 per litre, spilled. Sort of like when the fan belt broke on my car, on a larger scale.

The trouble, is when you have the world's largest machine, it's not enough to have the world's best physicists in attendance, you need the world's best engineers and mechanics as well, lots of them. I don't think eggheads on their own can manage something as complicated as this.

Environmentally, I'm also slightly worried about the huge use, and wastage of helium. This is the quintessential non-sustainable resource - it is an inert rare gas, impossible to manufacture outside of nuclear fusion reactions, and found only in a few spots on earth as a by-product of million-year radioactive decay. At a rate far greater than fossil fuels, it is being consumed faster than it is made. Its most important use is as the ultimate coolant - but it is used mostly trivially for balloons at children's parties. When the ballons burst, the helium floats out of the atmosphere for ever. Why can't hydrogen be used for this? It is admittedly explosive, but that has the added benefit of blowing some rich kids up.

Anyway, from a small problem, to a day or two's delay, to a stoppage of a month or so - and now the system won't be up until next year. A small voice sounds: what if this huge and expensive machine (very cheap of course compared with the 'bailout') - never works again? Is Higgs (one of the 999 names for God) keeping his secrets well guarded ?

Of particles

and pit-bulls

On Wednesday even Google deferred to the switch-on of the LHC with a nice circular graphic. A stunning achievement, first of all in engineering – the largest machine ever built, and then the unfolding science. Unfortunately, none of the major news media including the BBC employ any journalist with so much as a sixth grade in physics, so we get some rather uninformed populist comment. “$4 billion spent, and if there are no answers, that will be end of this rubbish”. Much God-pumping as well. The idea of front-line fundamental research is that there are no answers, or rather than any ‘answer’ obtained will raise at least two further and more interesting questions. Much scoffing that that the Higg’s won’t show up. Wouldn’t be surprised. Lots of other things will.

Of course there has been some journalistic jealousy from the US side, about this European experiment. Swiss cows grazing around down-at-heel suburban buildings etc. Well, the Americans could have had their own supercollider in Texas in the 1990’s. It was cancelled, ostensibly over expense, although $2bn would be a drop in the ocean compared with defence spending. No, I think the more likely reason was pressure from the creationists.

Which brings us to the Republican candidate for VP, the lady no one had heard of a month ago – the mayor of a 5000 strong town in the territory sold by the Russians in 1867 for a few $$ as being totally useless, and who then, due to the shambolic state of Alaskan politics, somehow captured the Governorship. Anything is possible there, because Alaska is a very freaky as well as very beautiful place. Foreign policy experience, or for that matter ever been out of Alaska? Yes, once to the US mainland to meet J Mc, once to Canada, and er,.. you can see Russia from one of the islands. Yes, this is the sparsely populated Chiotka peninsula, as far from Moscow as what New York is, as someone noted, whose governor, bizarrely, is the Russian oleobillionnaire Ramon Abromovitch, the owner of Chelsea football club. A neighbourly meeting between him and the now household word of Governor Palin would be irresistable. Even more if, after his mandatory stint as Prime Minister is done, President Putin assumes the reins again. The world, as the Putin and Palin show?

A disastrous decision or a masterstroke? Unfortunately the latter. An ignorant and isolationist creationist? An insult to America’s allies? Yes and yes, but these are sure winners in a US election. Because voters want candidates to be one of them – ignorant, isolationist etc etc. Terrifying smugness and self-assurance, behind those Heirich Himmler glasses? Yes. Answers to interviewers' questions on world politics, reminiscent of the 'answers' of a beauty pageant contestant? Of course, because that's what she was. But that's exactly what's needed - the US election (and many others) are beauty pageants. (Pres. Sarcozy?)

As the man on the UK 'First Post' e-papter noted: Ignorant candiates who don't panic have nothing to fear.

Impossible to go from a (very) small town mayor to President in a couple of years? What about Grover Cleveland, who went from mayor of Buffalo to governor of New York state, to President in less than three years, admittedly in 1882. Also, the comparison breaks down since he was a Democrat, pledged to root out small and (large) town corruption. A ridiculous idea? What about the derision when it was first suggested that Ronald Reagan might run for the Presidency?

A brilliant tactical choice – as Palin mania sweeps the country, Obama is already on his was to becoming no more than an interestingfootnote in American history. Poor Barack. He never had much to say anyway, apart from saying anything to anybody depending on the audience. I note that not even the spell checker recognises him now. And despite what it says in public, Middle America, behind the voting curtain, will vent its fury on a black who dared to stand for President. They won’t try again in a hurry. So this is just another instance of the Democrats’ incurable habit of putting up unelectable candidates.

So Palin will be just a heartbeat away from the Presidency – a 72 year old heart beat at that. It would not be surprising if McCain pops his socks sometime before 2012, or at least bows out at the end of his term, leaving the way open for Palin, who will then be President until 2020. Of course she will not be able to find any country on the map, and probably go to war with a country she has not heard of a couple of months previous, but that sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Get used to it.

As the lights dim out

and hopes fade

for the chance of a new Zimbabwe

and as all the wishful thinkers of the past two weeks turn their blogs and word processors to other issues,

we now realise what the Southern Africa 'development' community leaders meant when they called an 'emergency' situation to discuss the Zimbabwe situation. We thought they meant the emergency of ensuring the voice of the Zimbabwean people would be heard, but that was a fatuous misunderstanding. What they meant by an 'emergency' was the emergency of making sure that Mugabe remained in power.

What else would we have expected. African leaders will always rally round, and define themselves, on their lowest common denominator.

CRISIS, WHAT CRISIS ?

a favorite phrase

used by many politicians, by which you know that meltdown is imminent.

This time, uttered by Pres Thabo Mbeki of the Zimbabwean situation. Well, apart from the present electoral impasse, if 150 000% inflation, 80% unemployment and 25% population emigration does not constitute a crisis, what would, in Pres Mbeki's opinion? No wonder he does not worry about a little load shedding back home.

Expected, but infuriatingly, the SADC leaders at their special summit (talking until 5.00 in the morning - wow, they must have been exerting themselves) have come up with the bland statement urging that the presidential election results be declared (after 2 weeks) and that the results be respected. Especially if they are rigged by ZANU-PF of course. Equally unsurprising, there is the announcement from the Zim 'electoral commission' that the results of 23 constituencies will be recounted. All won by the opposition obviously.

Do the honourable group of SADC presidents realise that their summit cost many millions of (real) dollars of their impoverished taxpayers' money - who were expecting them to DO something about the Zimbabwean situation?

It is totally baffling. What spell does Mugabe have over other African, especially SADC leaders? He is the 84 year old leader of a bankrupt self-destroyed country. They, the neighbouring leaders, are no-nonsense and fairly tough politicians - Thabo Mbeki admittedly looks like and is a cretin, and Namibia is an ideological satellite of Zimbabwe - but it is not true, as some apologists say, that the others have insecure, weak democratic credentials. Nearly all have come to power in recent, respectable elections and are in a strong position to do something about the 'black hole' in their midst. Why are they terrified of Mugabe? He was not the only struggler for liberation in Zimbabwe, and the country is not his personal property. But, as the last person to be granted an in-depth interview with him revealed, even that is not the problem. He lives in his own reality bubble where he is convinced that he and the country are one and the same.

Does he hypnotise all the neighbouring leaders like a snake? Or is he, as a radio call-in suggested, like an obstinate stain on your underwear - you can try to wash it off, but it just won't go away ?

Do the other SADC leaders want to deal with the influx of millions of refugees without complaint, just so that Mugabe is placated? Why do they want a huge source of instability in their midst? Why do they want the wishes of the Zimbabwean people to be thwarted, and their desire for change to be blocked by rigged elections ? (it is a measure of how far the actual results went against them, that it has taken ZANU two weeks to figure out how to rig them back.)

Also expected (the tragedy of any situation is its utter predictability) is the dragging out of the land issue again, with dark warnings that white farmers are trying to take over their former properties. How did they all suddenly get back into the country to do that? Of course the reverse is true, in that the remaining 'white' farms are being threatened by the Mug's 20-year old 'war veterans'. Anyway, the former white farmers have been welcomed and set up in neighbouring countries such as Mozambique. Who the **** would now want to go back into Zimbabwe?

Is Mugabe, as the interviewer with him suggested, now plotting a massive revenge against his own people who rejected him - a bloodbath of the opposition to rival the Rwanda genocide?

If so, SADC leadership, who could have easily removed him if they had the courage, will have a very great deal to answer for.

SO WHAT ARE WE TO MAKE

of the Zimbabwe 'results' so far?

Obviously, Mugabe/ZanuPF did not win - if they had done - or a plausible case could be made out that they had, without the announcement being derisory - the results would have been announced very, very quickly. Civilised negotiations taking place ? Deals even being done? Not a chance.

First a grudging release of the parliamentary figures - meant to show a 'photo finish', and that the opposition victory was meagre. But this result does not matter much, since the Zimbabwean parliament these days has little power and in any case can always be suspended.

No, the important, because the personal thing, is the presidential contest. Although Mugabe has almost certainly lost this, it will be announced as a run-off. This will buy time of three weeks (or actually any time the ZANU appointed electoral court will grant). Enough for Mugabe to stage his own Cultural Revolution - the classic strategy Mao used when for once he felt under pressure. Call out the thugs, scream about 'puppets', beat opposition figures to a pulp, and reduce the country to mayhem. As the country is already in a state of ruin, this will not make much difference anyway.

If Mugabe thinks this has done the trick, the re-run will be held for him to win 'unopposed'. If not, a bit more mayhem will be manufactured, or the threat of it, whereupon, on cue, the military will step in, impose martial law, or stage a military coup, call it what you will, and Mugabe will be confirmed as president for the sake of 'national salvation'.

No, you haven't got rid of him yet. And he could live to 104.

Can he do it ?


In a few hours we may know.


The implications are awesome, and the cliche "historic moment" for once is literally true.

Can the ghosts of the slave trade, the Civil War, the lynch mobs, the civil rights movement, be finally laid to rest, by one massive event - the election of a black president?

Will the nightmare of the Bush administration be dispelled, and the international reputation of the US be restored? One simple decision by the American electorate can do it. Nice guys finish second? Not always. Hope like you've never hoped before.

It can't bee, can it?

Mike Huckabee has gained the approval of Iowa Republicans for the US presidential nominations. Yes, I know it was because of the hillbilly evangelicals of this rather isolated state. Yes, of course we know that the proceedings were more reminiscent of an 18th century huckster poll in Egland, rather than a proper election. (A lot of words beginning with H start flowing when Mike comes to mind).

But the awful thought arises, just as the first fear set in with GWB in 2000. It couldn't, could it? Another religionist in the White House, with God telling him what country to attack next? Another self-confessed anti-Darwinist, as Christopher Hitchens has said, all ready to stifle the progress of US science, with astronomers, biologists, cosmologists and geologists fleeing over the border to Canada or Europe, to avoid professing the new orthodoxy that the world was created in 4004 BC, to be taught in all US schools from 2009?

And what about the rest of the world, rolling around in hysterics at the prospect of a President Huckabee, something no comic writer could, prior to a few months ago, possibly have dreamt of? Please no, if the Leader of the free World has any chance of being taken seriously again.

Could happen to anyone....

The British Government a few days ago lost a bit of data (although it did not tell anyone until now). It was not a record or two, an inadvertently corrupted file affecting a couple of people at most. No, this ancient pillar of Western democracy, this holder of the special relationship with the leader of the Free World, this administration which keeps ever sleepless watch in its mission to guard the Nation against terrorism, lost the lot.

By that I mean the lot - all the information relating to child support payments in the UK (which means everybody, apart from a few recluses) - all the names of the parents, the addresses, telephone numbers and emails, the names and dates of birth of all the children, and in many cases, the bank account numbers and details of the families. All of them - 25 million of them.

For connoisseurs of IT history, this should rank as the most spectacular data security catastrophe case study of all time. And all because a little clerk downloaded this critical information on to a couple of CD's, (how was he allowed to do this?) and mailed them through the post. They did not arrive. Let us hope they landed in the dustbin of a bent postman who was hoping to score a couple of Amy Winehouse CD's. Otherwise, the opportunity for identity theft and paedophilia on a national scale beggars belief.

Could one contributory factor be the Labour government's merging of Revenue and Customs and excise, creating a bureaucratic behomoth, where nobody knows what anyone else is doing?

At the head of all of this stands the Chancellor of the Exchequer (minister of finance) - as you can see from the picture not the sharpest looking tool in the box. What can you expect anyway from a man who dyes his hair white and his eyebrows black?

I'm absolutely delighted

first of all that I'm back (can't believe I've been away for 3 months) and happy birthday to me

but much more importantly that Al Gore has won the Nobel Peace Prize. Almost as satisfying was the inevitable knee-jerk howl of fury from the fascists, flat-earthists, creationists, climate change denialists, and supporters of the war in Iraq. It proves that the rest of us are on the right track.

Yes of course, dubious characters have previously been awarded the prize - like the last apartheid president who had to be given a podium share with Nelson Mandela. But that does not detract from the importance and worth of the present award.

Congratulations to the prescient columnists like Christopher Hitchens who predicted this, and also in the aftermath urged him to run for President. Will he? It's an agonising question. No well wisher would want the new impetus to the environmental movement to be damaged by his essential side-tracking into petty politicking which the campaign would entail. And the unthinkable disaster if he lost. At the same time, the temptation to displace the shrill, fake Hilary is irresistible. The only Bush prediction which one can definitely agree with is that she would win the nomination but lose the election. I hope he does run, though first he must overcome the Democrats' unerring instinct to nominate a loser as their candidate.

And if he wins - eight years of wrong would be put to rights. What a resounding epitaph to, and what more fitting way, to nail down the coffin of the catastrophic Bush era.

photo with ack to slate.com

Alan Johnston
freed!


and congratulations. Thanks to Hamas, the new government of Gaza, for not only facilitating but implementing his release unharmed. Not a case of Hamas 'attempting to claim credit' for his release, as one one his BBC colleagues sneeringly put it, but credit earned and deserved. One might hope that this achievement will lead to some thaw and new openings in the stagnant mid-east peace process, but with the West's mind as tightly sealed as a jar of ten-year old jam, it is unlikely. Yet we can hope.

Good luck to Mr. Johnston - by right he should return to Gaza as correspondent, but that may be too much to ask in the short term. He looks fine, still running on adrenalin, as many have observed, the only discordant note being an Israeli flag plonked behind him as he was giving his first interview - the arsonist being given credit for putting out the fire.

Total Rage

at the latest news; at the stage when you can’t even bear to listen to a bulletin



Of course, it’s to do with Gaza and Hamas. But the fury is not caused by what some may assume – it’s fury at the wooden-headed West: at Bushie, Blair and Condi – these people at whose disposal is the best information, communications and presumably advice in history. Can these people never learn anything? Until their dying day (or last day in office) will it be the same broken phonograph record – “we don’t talk to terrorists, beacon of democracy, Iran’s nuclear threat, north Korea’s missile program, looking for moderate Arab states, pledge solidarity with Mahmood Abbas” etc. Mahmood we are coming to. What about the quest for ‘moderate’ Arab states? Maybe, first, the Arabs are looking for ‘moderate’ Western states to deal with. Ones that do not invade them, for instance..

The West wanted democracy in the Middle East. It didn’t work out too well in Iraq, so the next hope was Palestine. Elections were held there, but unfortunately the wrong party won – Hamas? What to do? Obviously, cut off all contact, dialogue and aid to the Palestinians and their authority. Because Hamas is a ‘terrorist’ organisation, and they don’t recognise Israel. Forgive me for getting confused, but I though there were a load of ‘respectable’ countries that don’t recognise Israel – Kuwait, Bahrain, Libya, Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, but the US deals very amicably with all of these, especially if they have oil reserves. The other demand of Hamas is that they respect any previous agreement mid-east agreements. That’s rich – presumably Israel was and is exempt from any such obligation.

So we refuse any dealing, and Israel even withholds the Palestinians’ own money – shared customs dues for instances. What a brilliant formula for a stable and ‘moderate’ Palestine and what encouragement for the Western ideal of the opportunity to cast a vote for the government of your choice. The Israeli’s left Gaza, but only for the purpose of turning it into the world’s largest open air prison – their very own Warsaw ghetto; an ominous comparison with Israel’s intent to obliterate with ‘Hamasstan’ on their doorstep.

So the Palestinian’s attempted to compromise, after the first outbursts of frustrated violence, to form a ‘unity’ government. Although Hamas had won the elections, they agreed to share power with their defeated rivals Fatah and old Abby was back at the centre of things again. Better? No chance. Israel and its American satellite will refuse any dealings with the unity government, because it still contains some Hamas. But they still ‘pledge support’ to Mahmood Abbas, the Palestinian president. What does one discuss with a (largely figurehead) president if we don’t deal with anyone in his government? Ask him for tea and discuss the weather? I don’t know – ask Dubya or Condi.

So, of course, frustrations boil over, Hamas are fed up of beings the mugs, no salaries are being paid and the people are basically starving, so of course Hamas seize their chance in Gaza where they are strongest and topple who they see as Western stooges – with or without Iranian help, who cares. Abby back in the West bank dismisses the government and its Hamas prime minister (it is not at all clear that he is empowered to do this) and declares a West Bank purely composed of his Fatah cronies. The West of course (and Arab states) pledge solidarity with Mahmood Abbas. He is a lame duck but who cares.

Suddenly it struck me that this is code for washing your hands of the problem. If you haven’t a clue what to do, you 'pledge your support for Mahmood Abbas’. He must be the most pledged politician in history. Everyone loves him. Why – because he will cause no problems, because he won’t and can’t do anything. Some American Indian tribes, I think, used to hold a pow-wow with a carved totem pole. They expressed their opinions and intentions to the pole, and if it did not answer, they assumed there was no counter to their arguments and they were free and justified to act as they desired. Mr Abbas is they a rather chubby totem pole, a placebo for the conflict. Is it any wonder that he is seen, not just by radical Arabs, a pure stooge and puppet of the West?

A final word on ‘terrorism’. There is a fact, not of course understood by the broken phonograph players, that there are two sorts of terrorist. One is the insane sort, typified by al Qaeda, which is impossible to deal with not only because it is fanatical, but also because it objectives are unattainable or even incomprehensible. The other sort of terrorist, usually nationalistically based, does have a political agenda, which can in principle be talked about. For instance, the IRA wanted British ruled Northern Ireland to be incorporated into the mainly Catholic Republic. That was a no-go. But what was the root problem? Discrimination against northern Catholics? Would the IRA settle for guaranteed equality and fair treatment for the Catholic community, and the reining in of the more extreme Protestant militias and assorted lunatics? Eventually, they did. And ETA – a bloody group, but with an agenda – independence of the Basque regions from Spain. They do not want actually to exterminate every Spaniard. Spain would not allow independence. But how about 75% autonomy, or call it what you will? A deal is surely possible.

Hamas I am sure are in the second group. They have a negotiable agenda, even if unpalatable. But unpalatable does not mean impossible. Sure, their young hotheads fire rather ineffective rockets into Israel. But even if they didn’t, Israel will find some other excuse not to talk to them. Just as the British refused to talk to IRA for a wasted bloody quarter-century. Eventually, a deal will be done. People cannot go on fighting forever. But don’t expect anything soon: not while the leadership of the Free World is a broken phonograph.

25 years

since the Flaklands war

I remember it well, and the above is the iconic photograph of the conflict - like the collapsed statue of Saddam in the present stupid war. What a ridiculous conflict! On one side, the music-hall (but deadly) Argentinian duo, General Valdieri and Admiral Lami Doso, famously picked up by one British paper as the reverse of "O sod em all". On the other, Mrs. Thatcher, whose corpse was propped up today to proclaim it as a great victory. Obviously, the unctuous Mr. Blair was at hand at Westminster Abbey to pay tribute to the 255 British dead of the war. He should be spending some time in the future, paying tribute to more British dead, as well; those of his making.

What of the Falkland Islands? Apart from having the most distinctive shape on the map of any territory in the world (they remind me of two copulating shrimps), they are in fact the last vestige of the little remembered British empire in South America - British missionaries and sheep farmers in the 19th century effectively controlled huge stretches of Pategonia and the Argentinian pampas. They were gradually pushed off the mainland and the Falklands are their final toehold. A bit like the Channel islands then - an empire of residuals.

The Argentinian strategy, like that of all military dictatorships, was totally dumb. Had they just waited it out, Britain, who were desperately looking around to cut costs and dump the unproductive colony, would have basically given it them. But no, the generals decided they needed an issue to whip up the masses and invaded. After hundreds of lives, they were pushed out again, Britain getting a little help from its ally, the even less savoury dictatorship of Chile.

There was a positive outcome; but on the Argeninian side. The military fell, and democracy returned to this civilised and cultivated nation. Now, after some celebrated economic hiccups, they have a huge tourist industry and are laughing all the way to the bank. But even in a democracy, the sting of defeat remains.

The Falklands, inevitably, remain a backwater, with a British population whose political views are somewhat to the right of the white Smith regime in Rhodesia. Nice scenery, but not a great attraction for visitors.

Relations between the islands and the mainland after enjoying a temporary thaw, have returned to deep freeze; but now, instead of imperialism, the issues are the modern practical ones of oil exploration, air links and fishing rights.

Would that Britain had stood up for the democratic rights of the people of Hong Kong, against the Chinese take-over a couple of years later. But of course the Chinese are big, and could not be bullied.

The IOC is visiting London today

for a progress check-up on 2012. I’m sure that the amount of money spent will not be a problem, if that is what the IOC is looking for.

The Olympic logo, unveiled a few days ago, is a perfect microcosm of the London Olympics itself: of how prices of any undertaking balloon unbelievably when someone else’s money is paying for it, and how ‘national’ projects provide the grimmest examples. Like the National Stadium at Wembley, which has ended up costing £ 800 million of semi-public money, in contrast with the beautiful (and £40 million) Stadium of Light at Sunderland. OK, twice the capacity, at 20 times the price.

The PR-spin government which the UK has been inflicted with these many years, are the ultimate enthusiasts for throwing uncounted billions of (other people’s) money at the Olympic project. Then tens of millions are spent on ‘consultants’ to advise on how to minimise further cost overruns! The London Olympic will feature in future project management textbooks as one of the worst budgeted and cost-managed project of all time. Like Eurotunnel, but at least you can travel through a tunnel.

For now, back to the logo. It debuted with a video, hastily withdrawn since it reputedly caused epileptic seizures; and evidently devised by hairy videographic-survivors of the 70’s when flashing darting coloured lines and streaks were cool. (I used to program similar things on my first graphics-capable PC). The logo reminded some of ‘two rhomboids bonking’ and drew objections from Jewish groups because its angularity was slightly but disturbingly reminiscent of a swastika. See for instance

It was ages before I even twigged that it was an arty rendition of the digits 2-0-1-2. Mr. Blair, needless to say, thinks it’s fantastic. And the cost – wait for it - £400 000 or nearly 6 million Rand/N$ - a logo ? [Query: if the Olympic logo costs half a million pounds, what will the built from scratch Olympic Stadium cost? No, of course we can’t use Wembley]. Commentators in the ad industry said that young designers could have done the same job for £ 10 000. What a snip! Depends on the customer again. If a disadvantaged young people’s sports club wanted a new logo, paying for out of their own money, they probably could get one done for £ 100. But a National project, where national Prestige is at stake (and National funds are available)? Ah then, add a factor of 400 thousand percent!

What a brilliant

in swinger

(or curve ball to our American friends, since presumably neither Pres. Bush nor Pres. Putin understand cricket) -

Putin bowled to Bush at the G8. The radar shields/missile bases or whatever they are, to be based in Poland and the Czech republic - directed against Russia? Perish the thought. All to to with those nasty guys in Iran and North Korea, who may be minded to lob things at the US. (Question: my school geography is a bit rusty, but does the quickest path from North Korea to the US go anywhere near Poland?)

Anyway, if this were the correct reason, Putin has a brilliant and helpful suggestion. Why doesn't the US 'borrow' the Soviet-era missile tracking base in Azerbaijan - much closer and more relevant to Iran anyway? Why, Russian and the US could collaborate and share technology in combating skuds from rogue states.

"Interesting" says President Bush, while the spin doctors scramble for a face-saving response. Very interesting.

40 years


since the 6 day war


I always remember the joke of my science teacher : "why did the Israelis fight a six day war ?"
Answer, of course, is that they had only hired the uniforms for a week.

Rarely if ever, could there ever have been a conflict between two sides, let alone multiple sides, all of whom supposed to be professional and well-armed fighting forces, where the result was so massively and abruptly one-sided.

People throughout the world, whether they were Israeli supporters or not, were stunned and thrilled by the outcome. Total victory is highly intoxicating. And in those dim, far off days, it did seem that Israel was in the right: its leaders and policies were moderate, and it really was threatened with extinction by all its neighbours, in a territory ridiculously vulnerable - only 12 km wide at its central point.

From the outcome of the war, Arabs have never lost the reputation of big-mouths, long on violent and vituperative rhetoric, short on ideas, capability or delivery, whether military or political. They and the Palestinians have never been taken seriously to this day.

The legacy of the war has been the assumption of total Israeli supremacy, never dented until the Lebanese debacle last year, and the image of the Arabs as blustering cowards. The casualty has been the Palestinians, and their legitimate cause and grievances.

WHAT IS THE LESSON

from Wolfie's departure?

Well, as my good wife said, every man thinks with his dick, and the more powerful and exalted the man, to the greater extent his thoughts are thus preoccupied.

Getting another job and a pay rise for his 'girl friend'? Was this actually necessary? Doesn't Wolfie have a good enough salary so that his better half could give up work, if there is a conflict of interest, and they would still be able to afford a little place in down-town Washington somewhere - maybe not in the best area but... (Or I hasten to add, for fear of being thought sexist, the other way round).

No, good riddance again, not just because of dick-related problems, but this was a shameless political post, as the cartoonist above acidly noted, whereby Dubya abused the control that the US administration has over WB presidential appointments. This to ensure neocon influence over the Bank, at a time when the position of deputy Defence Secretary was looking a little shaky. Killing two birds, in other words. It was difficult to understand what commitment Wolfie might have to impoverished 3rd world development (the third of a trillion dollars so far spent on Iraq might have gone a long way...)

Anyway, it's Wolfie's girl friend's job now to find him a job...

Meanwhile, what of a successor? Remember, the post of president of the World Bank is traditionally given to someone with extremely close links to and sympathies with the US administration, an American citizen, and someone who is finishing one illustrious job and at a turning point in his career. Yes, of course, ta-rah, ta-rah : Tony Blair. As we speak, Blair is spending a good part of his final month in office on a sunset tour of Africa (mightn't be an idea to spend this time at home?) burnishing his development credentials and impressing the interview panel. You have been warned. At least there'll be no sex scandals - will there ?

BBC international news,

for the past several days, in the morning, afternoon and evening bulletins, has prominently featured. among reports of more US deaths in Iraq, more bloody fighting in Gaza and Lebanon, even EU-Russia summits, one news item.

It is the fact that, in the face of strong protests, the makers of Mars Bars have dropped the ingredient of animal derived enzyme rennet from their product. This outraged Britain’s vegetarians when the inclusion of the material was made known. A Mars bar, incidentally, is a product largely comprised of sugar and empty calories, a chocolate covered toffee confection more usually known as a Bar One in this part of the world.

The prominence of this item puzzles me. Is the Mars Bar the snack of choice of BBC journos? Are many of them vegetarian? What about the milk in the milk chocolate anyway? Isn’t that an animal product? If you don’t like them, don’t eat them.

As for me, I’d rather continue with a boycott of the product, and not jeopardise my already dodgy dental bridgework, or promote a bulging waistline, premature diabetes or hyperglycemia. An apple a day sounds a much better proposition.

Why is Eurovision sneered at?

I actually think it's brilliant - the colours, the nations cheek by jowl, and so many more of them, since the disintegration of the Soviet block and the enlargement of the EU. And behaving, performers and spectators alike, in a cheerful, not too serious, slightly self-satirical context, much better than a political or sports-oriented gathering. The moans about the biased voting, and 'blocks' of next door neigbours voting for each other - well, in what other situation would you find Armenia enthusiastically supporting Turkey, or Georgia Russia? Yes, it's true that nobody votes for the UK, thus nearly always ending up with 'nul points', but that is the fault of the crap performances they offer up.

It's also not true that the music is always 60's bubblegum - many of the acts, at least from Eastern Europe, seemed serious attempts to convey the culture of their country, albeit in a rock music form. In fact, one might detect an air of determination to be taken seriously, and to claim recognition as a part of the New Europe. The Western contributions by contrast seemed plastic, flaccid and vaccid, and were rewarded accordingly.

I was especially pleased to get to see Eurovision at all - our satellite TV in the wilds of Africa usually offers only 15 year old movies, miscellaneous sports event and Big Brother. They will no doubt say the rights are too expensive - luckily we found Portuguese TV which was carrying the event, and it was fine, given that the presenters were not to be compared to Terry Wogan. The live Finnish presenters really did look like Ken and Barbie, as they should, and everything was perfect.

The winner was also richly deserved - the intense little lady from Serbia rendering a haunting ballad darkly redolent of the Balkans - backed by strange tall blonde-wigged ladies - an act mysteriously described by an over-excited BBC journo as lesbian soft-porn - some symbolism definitely but I'm not sure what. It was also great that the song was sung in the proper language and not in Barbie English. The act was certain to win from the moment it rolled.

There are of course political overtones to Eurovision - for instance the UK group tends to do worse than usual since the Iraq war - but in this case I especially hope that the event,, to be held in Belgrade next year thanks to Maria Serifovic, will mark Serbia's final emergence from the Milosevic era and into the family of Europe.

If so, Eurovision will have achieved more than politicians have been able to do for the past 10 years. Go for it.

and good riddance.

In what has been called the world's worst kept secret, Mr. B-liar announced his decision to step down today. As one of his fellow spinnakers, the equally unctuous Mr. Peter Mandelstam, the former Minister of the Dome, rhetorically asked in a TV docu-appreciation: "Why has Mr. Blair become so unpopular?"

Why? Let's see now. How about leading his country into an unnecessary war, under cover of deliberate lies and false pretences, in which hundreds of thousands, the vast majority of them innocent, have died? For what reason is still uncertain. It is difficult to believe he gave a tinkers for the welfare of the people of Iraq. To make his mark on history? To look Churchillian? To affirm his loyalty to the US special relationship? If the latter, he was reminded in no uncertain terms by President Bush as to who was the junior partnership in the relationship, whenever he looked like stepping out of line. As for the theory that he exerted a moderating effect on US policy, the idea is risible.

In what way then, should his deserved fate be different from that of Saddam Hussain?

Anyway, in the next few days his 'legacy' is going to be commentated and picked over in paralysing detail. Leave your radio and TV off for a week and get a life.

Regarding his 'legacy', as far as the transformation of the image of Britain, the country does not seem, on my occasional visits, to be all that different from the 90's. There are differences, in that it is virtually impossible now for a young person ever to afford to buy a house. The standard of the National Health service is as dire as ever. Yes, Britain won the Olympics, but with costs now ascending to truly galactic proportions. Britain's expanding economy and industry? In what area, apart from that of on-line gambling and super-casinos?

Did anyone notice the vehicle parked outside the hall where Mr. Blair was making his farewells? Yes, a nice white BMW. There was no remaining British-made car in which he could make his getaway. Enough said.

It's very good news


that Nicholas Sarkozy won the French presidential election. Even though I would normally support the candidate of the Left, Soggy-lene Royal was not what France needed, any more than a diabetic needs to be given a bag of bons-bons or more accurately, a slumbering patient needs another dose of morphine or a shopaholic a new credit card.
No, Ms. Royal is a disturbingly intact 1940's socialist, somehow teleported into the 21st century. A commentator said of her, that when asked any question, her Google-like brain picked up a keyword, then regurgitated a programmed paragraph containing that keyword but which in no way answered the question. Sarkozy said of her that she had the classic socialist assumption that Work was like a cake, a fixed yummy entity to be divided into peices and shared equitably, whereas of course employment is an infinitely extensible process - the more people in work, the more work opportunities there will be.
France needs a strong dose of 'tough love' - I hope the 2nd generation Hungarian provides it, and returns France to her greatness - and role of counterbalance to the US in Europe - we need her.