I see with immense sadness that writer Len Deighton has died. Granted, the man had a long and fruitful life and career, but that doesn’t stop it from sucking.
While Deighton was best known for his espionage novels like The Ipcress Files and Funeral In Berlin (both made into memorable movies starring Michael Caine), my personal favorite was actually a WWII novel, Bomber, which if you haven’t read before, you should. Be warned: it is an absolutely heartrending story.
R.I.P.
Here’s one that is supposed to make us all alarmed and stuff.
A fifth of Europeans surveyed said that they would in some circumstances prefer to live under a dictatorship amid growing dissatisfaction with the current democratic order or indeed lack thereof in their countries.
Given the countries in which this poll was taken, I’m amazed that the number is that low. But that’s not the point.
The point is that four out of five Euros would not consider living under a benevolent dictatorship. And given that they all live under some kind of soft- or hard socialist system — which is more or less like a benevolent dictatorship (only less efficient), this is the part that’s quite surprising.
I’d love to see the results of the same poll, conducted Over Here in these United States — provided, of course, that I could design the sample so as to reflect reality and not just the views of the Harvard faculty lounge or the New York Times editorial committee.
Ooooh, something from my local range, Texas Legends of Allen:
If anyone’s interested in joining me, send an email with your preferred date(s). It’s been a long time since I did anything like this, and it’s about time I did. Now, if I can just drag the Son&Heir away from his treadmill at GlobalMegaBank Inc…
New Orleans, 1985
During some international womyns’ soccer competition being played in Strylia, seven members of the Iranian team ran away and sought asylum.
Apparently, five of the women, when given the choice:
a) go back home to Iran where you will be beaten for not wearing a head covering, run the risk of being blown to bits by one of the Great Satan’s bombs, be forever a second-class citizen, be married off to some random stranger; OR
b) stay in Australia,
…decided to take option a).
Says it all, really.
Via Friend & Reader John C. comes this heartening report: How Are White South African Farmers Doing In The U.S.? (short video)
Just so everyone knows: I have been feeling exactly like this ever since my own Great Wetback Episode (1986), and I feel it to this day, every day.
Of course, I’m not a farmer; but I like to think that over the past forty-odd years I’ve done my bit to make this country just a teeny little greater than when I came here.