Thursday, March 20, 2008

Reaction to Muslim cartoons defended by some

http://neveryetmelted.com/wp-images/danish_muslim_cartoons.jpg
Lampooning an appropriate subject is fair game

Related Political Animal reading

Cartoons depict Muslim faith for what it is
Jihad and Understanding
Having a multiple Muslim



I was prompted to post this because of two anonymous opinions expressed (scroll down past my post) to comments I made about the wonderfully funny cartoons by the Danish artist who lampooned the Muslim religion, for being violent, cruel and nasty and how those cartoons were vindicated by the nasty, violent,cruel and murderous reaction to them across the Muslim world.

Surely the threat of murder on someone who disagrees with what you have to say about them is reprehensible and therefore the religion that supports such threats is a violent, cruel, filthy and inhuman one that should be condemned at every opportunity.?


http://simiolsons.com/scottsblog/uploaded_images/headlop-758230.gif

One cartoonists reaction to the violent outbursts across the Muslim world
to the original Dutch cartoons.


To have an idea of where I am coming from, I recommend a book By Mark Steyn, America Alone: The End of the World as we know it (see book review below), a brilliant book that outlines the threat the Muslim faith is to a civilised Western world.



America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It

America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It
By Mark Steyn

List Price: $27.95
Price: $18.45 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details


Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com

50 new or used available from $13.50

Average customer review:

Product Description

In this, his first major book, Mark Steyn--probably the most widely read, and wittiest, columnist in the English-speaking world--takes on the great poison of the twenty-first century: the anti-Americanism that fuels both Old Europe and radical Islam. America, Steyn argues, will have to stand alone. The world will be divided between America and the rest; and for our sake America had better win.



Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #940 in Books
  • Published on: 2006-09-16
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 214 pages

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap
It's the end of the world as we know it…

Someday soon, you might wake up to the call to prayer from a muezzin. Europeans already are.

And liberals will still tell you that "diversity is our strength"—while Talibanic enforcers cruise Greenwich Village burning books and barber shops, the Supreme Court decides sharia law doesn't violate the "separation of church and state," and the Hollywood Left decides to give up on gay rights in favor of the much safer charms of polygamy.

If you think this can't happen, you haven't been paying attention, as the hilarious, provocative, and brilliant Mark Steyn—the most popular conservative columnist in the English-speaking world—shows to devastating effect in this, his first and eagerly awaited new book on American and global politics.

The future, as Steyn shows, belongs to the fecund and the confident. And the Islamists are both, while the West—wedded to a multiculturalism that undercuts its own confidence, a welfare state that nudges it toward sloth and self-indulgence, and a childlessness that consigns it to oblivion—is looking ever more like the ruins of a civilization.

Europe, laments Steyn, is almost certainly a goner. The future, if the West has one, belongs to America alone—with maybe its cousins in brave Australia. But America can survive, prosper, and defend its freedom only if it continues to believe in itself, in the sturdier virtues of self-reliance (not government), in the centrality of family, and in the conviction that our country really is the world's last best hope.

Steyn argues that, contra the liberal cultural relativists, America should proclaim the obvious: we do have a better government, religion, and culture than our enemies, and we should spread America's influence around the world—for our own sake as well as theirs.

Mark Steyn's America Alone is laugh-out-loud funny—but it will also change the way you look at the world. It is sure to be the most talked-about book of the year.

About the Author
Mark Steyn's writing on war, politics, the arts, and culture can be read around the world from the Atlantic Monthly to The Australian. In the United States his column appears in the Chicago Sun-Times, the New York Sun, the Washington Times, the Orange County Register, and other newspapers. He is also National Review's "Happy Warrior," a columnist for the New Criterion, and resident obituarist for the Atlantic Monthly. In Canada, he is senior columnist for the country's newest political magazine, the Western Standard, and literary correspondent for the country's biggest-selling general interest magazine, Maclean's. In addition, he appears in many other publications, from the Jerusalem Post to Hawke's Bay Today in New Zealand. Born in Toronto, he lives in New Hampshire.


Customer Reviews

One of the best I've read5
After a couple pages of reading, I grabbed a highlighter and marked large chunks of each page, then passed the book on to my son. It's so important to understand the demographics involved in the current world situation and Mark Steyn makes it so enjoyable a read.

Repetative but insightful3
By the time I was half way through the book, I was getting tired of it. The information is insightful and thought-provoking but very repetative. I felt like the book should have been a short story length but someone decided to make it novel length instead.
While it is possible to verify most of the information the author cites in the book, it would have been nice if he had included some of his source material for further research.
Overall very good information but not the best writing style for me.

Americans are the only intelligent, strong people in the world?3
It is an interesting read and Mark Steyn is a very good writer.

I enjoy his newspaper columns and pretty much agreed with everything he wrote until he went down this Neo Conservative path to support the foolish second war against Iraq, then when virtually the entire world opposed the US - go it alone war against the people in Iraq, Steyn falls into this defensive line of reasoning that the entire world is wrong, especially weak, dying Old Western Europe and America, implied led by the wise Neo Conservatives are right and must face the evils of the world alone.

Yes, Mark Steyn is on target when he shows idiot PC multi culturalist in the West as... idiot, PC multi culturalists who really don't know much about the real world, haven't studied true history, know nothing about Islam, the brutalities of the Third World and fall into reflex PC responses that "THE WEST" and AMERICA are to blame for all the problems in the world and if certain Muslims groups, Muslim nations do horrible brutalities, no one in the West can blame them, we must blame ourselves.

Mark Steyn is of course right when he warns the West, especially Western Europeans that they have to resist mass Muslim immigration and giving in to the demands of Muslims within their borders. There are no making deals with Islam when it senses weakness and looks to take over schools, neighborhoods, countries, continents.

The main problem with Mark Steyn's America Alone, is a problem that I see with most Jewish Neo Conservatives:

They put out the lie that they - and only they alone are fighting the terrorists, opposing the Islamic extremists and they use brutal smears to attack anyone that doesn't accept their whole program including the foolish Iraq war - Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 - it wasn't an Islamic extremist state. There were no WOMD.

Steyn and most Jewish Neo Conservatives simply ignore all the populist, nationalist and true Conservatives in Europe, the West who have been resisting the Muslim invasions, Islamic extremism in their countries for a long time - the Front National in France, Swiss People's Party, the British National Party, Pym Fortuyn, Pat Buchanan, the Rockford Institute, these patriots get no mention or support from Mark Steyn and the Neo Conservatives because they do not support Israel unconditionally - worse, these patriots are smeared as NAZIs.

But, this is just one point.

America Alone is a well written book and Steyn does a very good job of showing the stupidity of those in the West who aid and abet the Islamic invasion and terror against Westerners in the West.

Related Political Animal reading

Cartoons depict Muslim faith for what it is
Jihad and Understanding
Having a multiple Muslim



C Political Animal 2008

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Dr Cullen needs to intervene in OCR

http://www.rightblueeye.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/a450ee0e-34cc-4191-bd03-9131f7b31fa0.jpg
The New Zealand Government is happy to intervene where its citizens don't want them
but when it comes to the precipitous economy in relation to lowering interest rates,
Michael Cullen gets blisters on his hands from sitting on them.


Original story from Share Investor Blog

I'm not an interventionist by any stretch of the imagination but our monetary system, for better or worse, is, and so is the present regime that presides over the country's books, the New Zealand Labour party.

The interventionist approach in regard to the Reserve Bank and through the official cash rate(OCR) has led NZ INC, courtesy of drunken overspending and overtaxing by the aforementioned regime, to the highest interest rates in the "developed" world.

The Mike and Helen show has put the country in a very precarious position, given the uncertainty over the global economy and the "credit crunch"(2 days in a row, sorry) has slowed the wheels of commerce globally.

This dastardly duo seem quite pleased that an excuse like the global credit crunch has come around because they are now on a PR offensive to blame any current or future New Zealand downturn on it and not themselves, where the bony finger should be pointing.

The sensible among us know that high interest rate were here 3-4 years ago and then we though a credit crunch was a new chocolate bar bought on time payment.

Like Al Gore's science fiction movie "The Inconvenient Truth", we also know, like that movie, the M and K show lacks consistency and truth. When it comes to the economy we can all remember the Labour Party taking the accolades for the nearly 4% growth we had for a nano second, but they now blame the downturn and any possible downturns on other circumstances.

You cant have it both ways.

Now this government's profligate taxes and spending(they go hand in hand) has put its citizens in such debt that we even outrank those nasty Americans for our debt levels. This debt is primarily in real estate and servicing the high interest debt that bought it.

Higher house prices meant more borrowing on the increased equity, because taxes are so high we had to borrow to survive.

So guess what, now things are in reverse, because of that debt we are in potentially a worse condition than America.

They at least borrowed to buy other sorts of assets beside houses, while we sunk most of ours into houses and plasma TVs.

While we haven't had the extreme reckless lending like America's Sub Prime loans, we have got many thousands of kiwis who have borrowed more than they will be able to service when the shit hitith the fan.

Its hitting now.

NZ$40 billion of mortgages will be refinanced this year alone at close to 10% and others will be higher, the time for intervention is now.

The OCR should have been cut at least a year ago but now there is urgent need for it. An emergency cut to bring it into line with other nations suffering from the sub prime fallout would be a key move in the right direction.

There is no use sitting on your hands waiting "to see what happens" according to Alan Bollard, the Reserve Bank Governor. Decisive action needs to be taken because inflation is the least of his/our worries now.

Like I have said before the OCR is a poor way to maintain an economic system, it doesn't serve its purpose well, but it is all we have at present.

A progressive cut over this year, down to below 6%, starting with a .75 point basis cut will send a good message to the market and business, that lending rates will be somewhat dampened and business will be stimulated when it needs it.

Our socialist government are intervening in every other part of our lives, including the private business world but for the life of me , when we really do need intervention, Micheal Cullen just sits on his calloused hands and blames others for our countries current mis- fortunes.

Get off your arse and do something history boy.


Essential related reading from Share Investor

Global credit squeeze: There is no free lunch
Current Credit crunch a blessing in disguise
Lenders must come clean over losses to restore faith in credit markets


c Share Investor & Political Animal 2008

Buyer of large piece Pumpkin Patch a mystery

http://www.lovable.com.au/www/211/files/pp_logo.jpg
A sizable chunk of Pumpkin Patch
was traded today, leading to speculation
as to who the purchaser might be and why.


Like other global markets New Zealand's NZX rallied today(19 March NZ time) by 1.4%.

Not as spectacular as the Dow's 400 plus points or Asian markets 3% plus rises but many of our stocks did well.

There are more months of bad news to come so don't forget what happened earlier this week please.

I must point out to readers of Share Investor that I noticed a stock that finally got bought in serious volumes today after being beaten down to its IPO price earlier this week.

Pumpkin Patch Ltd [PPL.NZ], the children's clothing retailer and manufacturer, hit $NZ1.5o yesterday and one or several sizable players got some serious action in the company to the tune of over 6.7 million shares. A very large daily amount for this company and the current thin liquidity of trading in NZX stocks in general at present.

Who the buyer was can only be speculation at present but there are several I'm willing have a stab at.

My first pick would be Carmel Fisher's Fisher Funds, who already have a sizable chunk north of 5% of the company and would clearly see the company as a steal considering the current price and the price they paid for the bulk of their chunk in the company.

A close second horse would be Jan Cameron, the former owner of the high fallootin outdoor lifestyle retailer Kathmandu and a recent large purchaser of shares in Postie Plus Group(PPG), another more "down market" New Zealand retailer.

Pumpkin Patch, like Kathmandu, is a strong, high margin, brand in its market/s and it would fit her investing profile for good companies bought at excellent prices.

Of course another outside guess would be an as yet unknown player getting a foothold in the company to launch some sort of bid for the retailer. I hope not.

3.6% of the company's shares were traded and the buyer got their stake at NZ$1.60.

The shares were up by 11c to $1.61.


Disclosure I own PPL shares in the Share Investor Portfolio.


Pumpkin Patch @ Share Investor

Pumpkin Patch Ltd move downmarket
Long Term View: Pumpkin Patch Ltd
Pumpkin Patch's North American Downsizing a Prudent move
Digging at Pumpkin's Profit
Long vs Short: Pumpkin Patch Ltd
Pumpkin Patch Buyback shows Confidence in the Future
Pumpkin Patch takes a hit
Pumpkin Patch ripe for the picking
What is Jan Cameron up to?

I'm buying
Why did you buy that Stock? [Pumpkin Patch]
Rod Duke's Pumpkin Patch gets bigger
Buyer of large piece of Pumpkin Patch a mystery
Pumpkin Patch a screaming buy
Broker downgrades of PPL lack long term vision
Pumpkin's expansion comes at a cost
Pumpkin Patch vs Burger Fuel
Pumpkin Patch profits flatten
New Zealand Retailers ring up costs not tills

Discuss PPL @ Share Investor Forum

Download PPL Company Reports

Buy Pumpkin Patch Clothing

From Fishpond.co.nz

Bird on a Wire: The Inside Story from a Straight Talking CEO

Buy Bird on a Wire: The Inside Story from a Straight Talking CEO & more @ Fishpond.co.nz

Fishpond


c Share Investor 2008

Time for OCR intervention by Dr Cullen

http://www.rightblueeye.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/a450ee0e-34cc-4191-bd03-9131f7b31fa0.jpg
The New Zealand Government is happy to intervene where its citizens don't want them
but when it comes to the precipitous economy in relation to lowering interest rates,
Michael Cullen gets blisters on his hands from sitting on them.



I'm not an interventionist by any stretch of the imagination but our monetary system, for better or worse, is, and so is the present regime that presides over the country's books, the New Zealand Labour party.

The interventionist approach in regard to the Reserve Bank and through the official cash rate(OCR) has led NZ INC, courtesy of drunken overspending and overtaxing by the aforementioned regime, to the highest interest rates in the "developed" world.

The Mike and Helen show has put the country in a very precarious position, given the uncertainty over the global economy and the "credit crunch"(2 days in a row, sorry) has slowed the wheels of commerce globally.

This dastardly duo seem quite pleased that an excuse like the global credit crunch has come around because they are now on a PR offensive to blame any current or future New Zealand downturn on it and not themselves, where the bony finger should be pointing.

The sensible among us know that high interest rate were here 3-4 years ago and then we though a credit crunch was a new chocolate bar bought on time payment.

Like Al Gore's science fiction movie "The Inconvenient Truth", we also know, like that movie, the M and K show lacks consistency and truth. When it comes to the economy we can all remember the Labour Party taking the accolades for the nearly 4% growth we had for a nano second, but they now blame the downturn and any possible downturns on other circumstances.

You cant have it both ways.

Now this government's profligate taxes and spending(they go hand in hand) has put its citizens in such debt that we even outrank those nasty Americans for our debt levels. This debt is primarily in real estate and servicing the high interest debt that bought it.

Higher house prices meant more borrowing on the increased equity, because taxes are so high we had to borrow to survive.

So guess what, now things are in reverse, because of that debt we are in potentially a worse condition than America.

They at least borrowed to buy other sorts of assets beside houses, while we sunk most of ours into houses and plasma TVs.

While we haven't had the extreme reckless lending like America's Sub Prime loans, we have got many thousands of kiwis who have borrowed more than they will be able to service when the shit hitith the fan.

Its hitting now.

NZ$40 billion of mortgages will be refinanced this year alone at close to 10% and others will be higher, the time for intervention is now.

The OCR should have been cut at least a year ago but now there is urgent need for it. An emergency cut to bring it into line with other nations suffering from the sub prime fallout would be a key move in the right direction.

There is no use sitting on your hands waiting "to see what happens" according to Alan Bollard, the Reserve Bank Governor. Decisive action needs to be taken because inflation is the least of his/our worries now.

Like I have said before the OCR is a poor way to maintain an economic system, it doesn't serve its purpose well, but it is all we have at present.

A progressive cut over this year, down to below 6%, starting with a .75 point basis cut will send a good message to the market and business, that lending rates will be somewhat dampened and business will be stimulated when it needs it.

Our socialist government are intervening in every other part of our lives, including the private business world but for the life of me , when we really do need intervention, Micheal Cullen just sits on his calloused hands and blames others for our countries current mis- fortunes.

Get off your arse and do something history boy.


Related Share Investor reading

Global credit squeeze: There is no free lunch
Current Credit crunch a blessing in disguise
Lenders must come clean over losses to restore faith in credit markets


Related Amazon reading

Interest Rate, Term Structure, and Valuation Modeling

Interest Rate, Term Structure, and Valuation Modeling
Buy new: $56.67 / Used from: $39.00
Usually ships in 24 hours


c Share Investor 2008