Yep, some elements on the left want the United States to be more like Europe. Like this? A local council in Britain has threatened a pensioner and his wife with legal action - unless the couple cease and desist the hideous practice of….
…..feeding birds.
Far from an attempt to live in harmony with nature, the customary ritual of helping birds in their daily search for food has been branded a dangerous practice that must be stopped.
After receiving a complaint from a neighbour, environmental health officers wrote a letter to the Dunnys informing them they were causing a noise nuisance and attracting dirt and possibly disease to their village.
The letter, from Berwick Upon Tweed council, said: 'Birds cause some considerable problem in forms of noise and dirt.
Not only do their droppings damage and contaminate property, the birds also carry various diseases such as salmonella.
'If they are encouraged into an area and build nests, these nests can cause problems, such as blocking chimneys, flues and gutters. Food put out for the birds will also attract rats and vermin.
'If we establish that a nuisance or pest problem does exist, we may have to consider further action.'
Mr Dunny, 69, a retired foreman and joiner, has branded the demand as 'completely crazy' and vowed to continue putting food out for his feathered friends.
He and his wife live in the Northumberland village of Belford, where garden bird tables are a common sight.
He said: 'Let them put me in jail. . . it's just crazy. What do they mean by noise?
Yep. I really want to be more like Europe, don't you?
My ancestors had the good sense and taste to either be thrown out of old Europe (father's side) or flee the oppressive policies there (mother's side). I have no intention of being "more like Europe." Neither should you.
Those are the words used by groups that tried to intervene in the latest decision of the British National Health Service. They have decided that British sufferers of kidney cancer will no longer have access to life-prolonging drugs commonly available in Europe and the US. British kidney cancer patients can expect no help from the National Health Death Service.
The drugs-rationing body for the NHS has been accused of bullying, ignoring and patronising patients.
The unprecedented attack follows the highly-controversial decision to ban drugs that can extend the life of kidney cancer victims.
Experts asked to advise the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence have lodged complaints, describing the consultation as a sham.
Two patients' representatives attacked the system as 'flawed and irrational' while the charity Kidney Cancer UK is also expected to make an official complaint about being ignored.
Nice's decision to ban four drugs widely available in Europe and the U.S. was described as a 'death sentence' by doctors, patient groups and campaigners.
Now the complaints have shed new light on the way such life-and-death decisions are made.
Do read it all, especially this part:
Nice admits they work but says they cost too much.
This is what "free" health care entails, folks. Bureaucrats will decide who gets what drugs, care, service - they will decide who lives or who dies. And they will be LESS answerable than the much maligned private insurance companies in this country.
Still think socialized medicine is the answer?
Pray you don't get an unapproved cancer, then.
He was lookin' for a country to steal. Vlad "The Impaler" Putin has launched an all out attack on Georgia. Not the one from the song, the other one. Russian aircraft are bombing civilian apartment buildings. There is a notable lack of interest in any of that from the left blogosphere, as a quick perusal of Memeorandum indicates. If Israel isn't involved, the left is pretty much silent.
The Daily Mail is reporting that Russia is attempting to bomb the pipeline that runs through Georgia, delivering oil to the West.
The war in Georgia escalated dangerously last night after Russian jets reportedly bombed a vital pipeline that supplies oil to the West.
After a day of heightening international tensions, Georgian leaders claimed that the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, which transports oil from the Caspian Sea to Turkey, had been attacked. But it is thought the bombs missed their target.
Their claims came after Russian jets struck deep into the territory of its tiny neighbour, killing civilians and ‘completely devastating’ the strategic Black Sea port of Poti, a staging post for oil and other energy supplies.
Reports last night also said that Russia had bombed the international airport in Tbilisi.
The Russian knife is pointed at Georgia's throat, but the artery belongs to the West. Yet the Democrats in charge of the American Congress refuse to allow a vote on allowing oil drilling off the American coasts.
Think about that.
UPDATE: No sooner hit the publish key and this came up over at Memeorandum from HuffnPuffPo. Now we know why the left has been largely quiet. They were trying to think up a way to blame it on Republicans. Sleazy, even for HuffnPuff.
The Telegraph (Tim Shipman reporting) notes that there's comedy gold - in Barack Obama. Or rather in Obama's extremely high opinion of himself.
The punchline is this: the more seriously he took himself, the more Barack Obama has become a laughing matter.
Only a month ago American comedians and satirists were complaining that they found it hard to get people to laugh at the first black presidential nominee. A New Yorker cover cartoon showing him as a Muslim extremist was roundly denounced.
But growing Obama fatigue among voters after his pseudo-presidential visit to Europe and the Middle East has unleashed a wave of satirical fire, mocking Mr Obama for his apparent belief that he has the election in the bag.
Last month Jon Stewart, host of the satirical news programme The Daily Show, had to tell his audience that they were allowed to laugh at Mr Obama after a joke fell flat.
But Mr Stewart made comedic hay during the Illinois Senator's international trip, mocking his progress through the Holy Land, where he said the candidate stopped "in Bethlehem to see the manger where he was born."
There are some very funny lines from American comedians about Obama and his Rushmore-sized head. But I love that line from Stewart. Methinks the emperor's new clothes are on full display. (Do go over and read the article. There are some real gems there.)
Left Wing, World news | Gaius Sunday, 10 August , 2008 | 
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