The Eagles - How Long

Thanks to Kyle for pointing this out to me. Absolutely brilliant new song.

Random Links

Internet Warning Lables

Demon Dwarf 'glued privates to vacuum cleaner'
When I saw this on wikinews I figured it had to be fake but its amazingly true.

Durham University Prof. Announces:

Tabloids create England-Germany tension around football matches

Another wonderful discovery from the department of the obvious. Clearly the quality control on these articles isn't that high given this quote:
"...the increasing cultural and political closeness between the United Kingdom and Britain."

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The 14 Characteristics of Fascism

The 14 characteristics are (according to : Lawrence Britt, 2003):

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism
   Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.
   
   
2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights
   Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.
   
   
3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause
   The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.
   
   
4. Supremacy of the Military
   Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.
   
   
5. Rampant Sexism
   The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Opposition to abortion is high, as is homophobia and anti-gay legislation and national policy.
   
   
6. Controlled Mass Media
   Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.
   
   
7. Obsession with National Security
   Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.
   
   
8. Religion and Government are Intertwined
   Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government's policies or actions.
   
   
9. Corporate Power is Protected
   The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.
   
   
10. Labor Power is Suppressed
    Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed .
    
    
11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts
    Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts is openly attacked, and governments often refuse to fund the arts.
    
    
12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment
    Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.
    
    
13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption
    Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.
    
    
14. Fraudulent Elections
    Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.

Sound familiar? That really is quite scary.

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Misuse of Facebook

Thanks to XKCD.com

My Interesting 24 Hours

The last 24 hours for me have been eventful and most unusual. I feel it necessary to document this day in case my brain damage causes it to be wiped from my memory.

The events began in a very sober setting, a classical music concert. The concert was put on by the OU music summer school and was quite enjoyable if a little long.

Following the concert we had a drink in Hatfield bar before we headed back up the hill to Van Mildert to continue to the drinking. While passing through Saddler Street Andy hopped out to get some cash. At this point I had been wound up all day as Andy and Emma fed me a bunch of lies and I bought every one of them. I decided that I had justification to break shotgun rules and take the front seat while Andy was out. Andy didn't take the rule breach well and decided that he was having the front seat with me in there. So we drove all the way back up the hill with two front seat passengers. Good Craic.

When we got to the bar we continued drinking and proceeded to get plastered. The night was great fun but as with all other nights out this summer, it went on far longer than anticipated. I had to check on a student in another college and while there played on facebook (the results weren't pretty). Got to bed at 4:15.

In the morning I had to be up at 7:00 so I set 3 alarms. When the cleaners woke me up at 10:00 I'd slept through all 3 alarms and several phone calls. Wasn't the end of the world as I wasn't needed that badly anyway(not that I'd have been much use).

Did a bit of wandering in the morning until Andy asked me to help him move some teles (this is a crap job but it had to be done). In the process Andy accidently let a door close while I was locking the other door causing it to hit my head pretty hard. Not nice! I was ok though and continued with what we were doing.

About 15 minutes later after looking for a swipe card in one of the school cars we were locking the car and the boot wouldn't shut. So I started moving the obstruction but Andy continued to shut the boot again - with me in the way. This second, harder, blow to the head made me see stars and feel very dizzy so off we went to A&E. That's where the fun stuff ends, after that there was just a dull 2 hours in A&E to be told I'm ok.

Lessons of the day:

• Be careful with head
• Don't trust Andy

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