Splendid news.More, please.(and see...
A few days behind the times, I wholeheartedly recommend that you head over to the splendid "Crap Holyrood Chat" blog - which is always worth a visit - for this superb counterexample; a cracking speech given by Mike Russell MSP, the SNP's Environment Minister.I would normally give a minister pelters for displaying such brazen contempt for the parliamentary process, but given that the object of his disdain on this occasion is Robert Brown, a Lib Dem MSP so hypnotically, apocalyptically dull that he makes Alistair Darling look like a speed-addled cross between Lee Evans and Liberace, I instead applaud him without reservation.The Minister for Environment (Michael Russell): I find myself in some difficulty, because the opening sentences of my speaking notes say:"This has been a very valuable...
At lunchtime today - and not before time - a statue of Scotland's greatest son is unveiled on Edinburgh's Royal Mile. Conceived and carried through by the Adam Smith Institute, who also raised the money (through private subscription, naturally), the statue of Adam Smith (pdf) will sit near St Giles' Cathedral on the site of a former market, and looks down towards the Canongate Kirk, where Smith is buried, and across the Firth of Forth to Fife, where he was born. The Scottish Parliament, however, is shielded from the great man's view, which is probably just as well.Your scribe was honoured to participate in a debate last night alongside the ASI President Madsen Pirie, former Scottish Secretary Michael Forsyth, and assorted well-intentioned but hopelessly muddled lefties. A good time was...
Via the indispensable Croydonian, this:"LAHORE, April 8: Lawyers beat up the former minister for law and parliamentary affairs, Dr Sher Afgan Niazi, at the Fane Road here on Tuesday, ignoring bar leaders’ warnings that their action would jeopardise the drive for the revival of the pre-emergency judiciary.... When Dr Niazi was finally brought out, visibly charged lawyers swooped down on him from all directions, thrashing him with fists and kicks.... A lawyer took off one of his shoes and lashed at Dr Niazi while others threw eggs and tomatoes at him. When Dr Niazi tried to board the Edhi ambulance, a lawyer seized him by the collar and dragged him into the vehicle, punching him repeatedly".Substitute "Mr Straw" for "Dr Niazi" and you begin to realise that there is much we can learn from...
The statue of Adam Smith that will soon grace Edinburgh's Royal Mile - and not before time - is taking shape:The statue shows Smith in later life – he spent the last twelve years of his life in Edinburgh, where he had been appointed a Commissioner of Customs, which might explain his slightly stern look.Behind him is a ploughshare, modelled from a contemporary plough in the Scottish Farming Museum, which reminds us of an economic doctrine from which Smith made great advances – the physiocrat doctrine that all wealth stemmed ultimately from agriculture. To his front is a beehive, a symbol of industry, topped by a globe on which Smith rests his hand - made invisible by his academic gown.When viewed from the High Street, Smith's academic dress will dominate, reminding us of Smith the...
Via Andrew Sullivan, a great YouTube moment which even the sight of Piers Morgan's ugly mug can't ruin. This bloke's name is Paul, he works at the Carphone Warehouse, and for some insane reason he decides to stand up on a talent show and try to sing...
I'm pretty sure I've nothing to add to...
As an antidote to the sordid tales of blogging catfights referred to in the post directly below this one, here, via Ellee Seymour, is a heartwarming tale.Chernobyl Children Lifeline flew a dozen children over to the UK for a holiday (during which they would also be provided with some medical care) and asked Gordon Brown to waive the airport tax for the visit - as a result of his new tax wheeze an eyewatering £980. Predictably, Brown refused.Enter Tom Paine, who with remarkable generosity stepped in and paid the £980 out of his own pocket - on the proviso that readers of Ellee's blog matched the gesture for next year's taxes. A remarkable gesture, and a little reminder that it's not all shit-throwing and abuse.Back tomorrow with more shit-throwing and abuse. In the meantime, if you are...
Bravo. 
