tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51302112024-03-07T23:59:49.268+00:00EurophobiaAnglo-European politics, by J Clive Matthews (aka Nosemonkey)
"Great and even-handed" - The BBCNosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.comBlogger1379125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1164654157591778802006-11-27T18:59:00.000+00:002006-11-27T19:02:37.600+00:00This blog is moving houseYep, I've finally gone and done it. Europhobia can, from now on, be found at www.jcm.org.uk/blog.The new version may not be quite done yet, it may have a few glitches, and the archives haven't yet been fully sorted out (YOU try assigning categories to around 1,400 posts...), but it's pretty much there.Time to update bookmarks / RSS feeds, people - if anyone actually cares, that is...Again, that Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1164361909242308812006-11-24T08:34:00.000+00:002006-11-26T14:41:38.260+00:00Blair and the death of societyHe really just doesn't get it, does he?"A new contract between the state and the citizen setting out what individuals must do in return for quality services from hospitals, schools and the police is one of the key proposals emerging from a Downing Street initiated policy review."Does he even get what the "social contract" is all about? It's one of the fundamental ideas underlying the British Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1164329184738618382006-11-24T00:41:00.000+00:002006-11-24T00:46:24.863+00:00There's a top-notch overview of the historical difficulties facing the new Prodi administration in Italy courtesy of the supremely readable Phil Edwards, up now at The Sharpener. More knowledgable and insightful analysis than anything else you're likely to have read this week.Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1164322738585023802006-11-23T22:44:00.000+00:002006-11-23T22:58:58.760+00:00Via Jarndyce (yes, I know... I nearly fainted from shock...) I've found my first right-wing blogger in favour of staying in the EU! (Yes, I know... I nearly fainted from shock...)It's about bloody time one of these cropped up - there's a surprising number of them around in the real world, where the fantasy land of a fully independent, self-sufficient Britain is seen as just as (if not more) Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1164298942102604692006-11-23T16:04:00.000+00:002006-11-23T16:22:22.216+00:00Meme timeLet's get this out of the way sharpish. Via Not Saussure, ten things I'll never do:10) Slap a nun with a haddock9) Travel faster than the speed of light8) Shag Jean Arthur (damnit...)7) Swim the Sea of Tranquility6) Meet a nice South African5) Eat Brian Blessed4) Kill a man using nothing but a single baked bean and a rolled-up copy of the Tablet (though I would consider it with the Church of Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1164279047737025062006-11-23T10:42:00.000+00:002006-11-23T23:03:13.913+00:00The Dutch elections are confusing me. Nanne has the results and is trying to work out potential coalitions, but no one is agreed on what's going to happen next. The New York Times reckons the country will swing to the left, the Washington Post sees a vote in favour of the pre-elections centre-right government with a marked rise for extreme parties on either side of the political spectrum, while Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1164197268330576042006-11-22T10:51:00.001+00:002006-11-22T12:07:48.536+00:00Simon Heffer: bloggerA new little something from me over at The Sharpener.Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1164105897814406532006-11-21T09:37:00.001+00:002006-11-21T10:51:52.266+00:00Europragmaticsm - a sensible EU approach from an unlikely source...Yes kids, that's right! It's the most exciting day of the year - EU budget day! Weeeeeeeeeee!If you really, really must, EU Politix have a nice (mercifully short) summary of the usual potential issues - notably the spat between the European Parliament and the European Commission over budget cuts, staffing levels and the like.It's all same old, same old - only the EP does, at least, finally seem Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1163933942734174152006-11-19T10:46:00.000+00:002006-11-19T10:59:02.873+00:00Two years ago, a semi-anonymous blogger was telling them that the 2012 Olympics were likely (not including infrastructure development and PR) to cost around £4.7 billion, rather than the initial estimate of £2.3 billion. Now they're estimating £5 billion - though with some warning that could rise again to as much as £9 billion once they've finally worked out how to do basic arithmetic.For a bit Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1163890712622181642006-11-18T22:13:00.000+00:002006-11-18T22:58:33.270+00:00John Reid: my own little lovepuppyI know I promised a return to quality on this place, but this is going to be more like Popbitch. Sorry...Politico spot: John Reid coming out of the Cavendish Square exit of the Oxford Street branch of John Lewis c.4pm this afternoon, arm in arm with a brunette in her thirties. Was this his daughter, or is he following the precedent of his predecessor (but one) as Home Secretary and getting an Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1163722855264676872006-11-17T00:17:00.000+00:002006-11-17T00:20:55.523+00:00From across the pond, here's what's going to happen if you forget your ID card, assuming our dear government are allowed to have their way...Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1163674711919074852006-11-16T10:34:00.000+00:002006-11-16T10:58:32.046+00:00The French Presidential race - a quick summaryFrance's next president could be decided today as the Socialists vote in a three-way primary for their candidate to take on Chirac's expected conservative successor, Nicholas Sarkozy.The front-runner for the socialists (on 49% - via) is currently thought to be Ségolène Royal - who would become France's first female president if she gets all the way to the top - although being a bit of a moderate Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1163586755850435942006-11-15T10:26:00.000+00:002006-11-15T19:11:46.506+00:00State Opening of Parliament today - a good day to bury bad news, so keep your eyes peeled.Already, we have: UK unemployment at seven year high - see the Office for National Statistics for the full report.Oh, there was also a handy "web chat" with the civil servant in charge of ID cards published late last night on the 10 Downing Street site. Lots of quality astroturfing, plus the priceless gem:"Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1163509356590421522006-11-14T12:40:00.000+00:002006-11-14T13:02:36.780+00:00European Parliament welcomes the punsAccording to today's EU Politix press review, it is looking increasingly likely that the next president of the European Parliament will be the centre-right EPP group's leader.(Yep, that's the same group that David Cameron promised the tories he'd pull out of. At some point. Even though practically none of the Tories' MEPs want to leave it because it's huge and gives them leverage to affect EU Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1163507190515356772006-11-14T12:17:00.000+00:002006-11-14T12:26:30.630+00:00On the day of the Royal Premiere of Casino Royale (not the cult classic with Peter Sellers and Orson Welles, obviously), I've been jumping on the Bond bandwaggon over at my movie blog. So go on - pop along and leave a comment and join in the discussion of the merits of the various 007s, and it'll impress my dear employers. Ta!Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1163419211893123822006-11-13T11:33:00.000+00:002006-11-13T14:24:57.796+00:00Extraordinary rendition updateFor those still following the extraordinary rendition story, the secret CIA flights allegedly transporting prisioners from The War Against Terror, attention should be turned to Poland, where - according to the EU Observer - "a three day trip to Warsaw produced only vague, contradictory information from low-ranking officials". Added into the mix are missing flight records, and great little Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1163156070869738712006-11-10T10:10:00.000+00:002006-11-10T10:54:30.990+00:00Blog changes imminent...Blogging has continued to be intermittent here for a couple of months - but all that is (probably) set to change. As from 17th November, I will be full-time freelance after three solid years working day-in, day-out producing lovely glossy history and travel magazines aimed largely at Americans planning to visit Britain. My final issue, on which I was Acting Editor, should be on the shelves in Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1162745307353686742006-11-05T16:33:00.000+00:002006-11-05T16:49:39.803+00:00Obvious liberal blogger's reaction to the Saddam verdict #3,456,789Britain is supposed to be morally and legally opposed to the death penalty, so why is Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett expressing her support for the psycho ex-dictator's imminent execution? Yes, the guy's guilty (and guilty of far more than he was tried for), but how does this mesh with the Foreign Office's own pronouncements on killing people convicted by courts of law - even courts less Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1162462419097920372006-11-02T10:13:00.000+00:002006-11-02T10:13:39.216+00:00Policeman in "does his job" shocker!Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1162379512182226292006-11-01T09:59:00.000+00:002006-11-01T11:11:52.336+00:00Science and the politiciansSomething new from me over at The Sharpener, providing some context to John Reid's recent comments about the need for fresh innovation to combat terrorism.Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1162038238335176732006-10-28T13:15:00.002+01:002006-11-01T11:12:58.120+00:00The Bush administration uses unimaginative essay-writing technique #236: "It all depends on your definition of..."*sigh* Why must the world be run by such second-class minds? And why has this story been buried on a weekend (there's nothing about it on the main pages of either the Washington Post or the New York Times, and the ever-handy Newsmap shows it's receiving far less press coverage than a Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1161862990161386272006-10-26T11:43:00.001+01:002006-10-26T13:58:54.420+01:00Yay - more laws!As if it wasn't enough to have spent the last nine years under the most legislation-happy government in forever (who love the idea of new laws so much they want to bypass parliament through the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill to enable them to make new ones on a whim), now they're giving yet more people the power to make us criminals, this time local councils.Unsurprisingly, one of the Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1161339878346422512006-10-20T11:13:00.000+01:002006-10-20T11:24:38.476+01:00A new movie blog from yours trulyI have been busy on a number of real-world projects over the last couple of months, hence the decline in posts here. That should all change soon.Now, however, I can reveal one of them: a return to my writing roots in film (a subject on which I first started writing back in 1997, and have continued doing so for various publications ever since - including authoring two books, on Tim Burton and TheNosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1161094989606039432006-10-17T15:11:00.000+01:002006-10-17T15:23:09.976+01:00Things that threaten to turn me anti-EU (part 102 in an occasional series)The winning logo for next year's celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome:And in the accompanying story, the killer quote:"The winner was named amid reports that the EU is scaling back celebration plans, fearing public ridicule."*sigh*They really do themselves no favours, do they?And that's before I even attempt to start explaining the supposed costs of EU membership - which, Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5130211.post-1160644645975669052006-10-12T09:55:00.000+01:002006-10-12T10:17:26.103+01:00In case you were wondering...I'm not dead, merely insanely busy putting a magazine together all on my lonesome during the day and working on a new project for the BBC in the evenings. All of which is very exciting and fun and everything, but means I've barely got five minutes spare for anything else.And, of course, there's the whole "politics is incredibly boring and repetitive" thing going on again at the moment. For Nosemonkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10770646488422232541noreply@blogger.com2