But God Cares!

Friends.

Now That Was A Great Career, Jonny!

Miracles Sometimes Required.

Dan Hannan on Leftists in The Judiciary.

Judicial activism is a problem in almost every country. Judges have a lamentable, if inevitable, tendency to rule on the basis of what they think the law ought to say rather than what it actually says.

But here’s a puzzle. Why do they always seem to be biased in the same direction? Courts are forever striking down deportation orders, but did you ever hear of them stepping in to order the repatriation of an illegal immigrant whom the Home Office had allowed to stay? The imposition by Parliament of minimum prison tariffs for certain offences was howled down as an assault on judicial independence. But maximum tariffs? No problem there. It’s common for warrants to be served against Augusto Pinochet or Ariel Sharon or George Bush; never against Fidel Castro or Robert Mugabe or Kim Jong-un. A minister rules that a murderer should't be released? Outrageous! A minister rules (in Northern Ireland) that murderers should be released? Quite right.

The US judge Robert Bork wrote a book called Coercing Virtue, which argued that judges were consciously seeking to advance an agenda that had been rejected at the ballot-box.  It amounted, Bork averred, to “a coup d’état – slow-moving and genteel, but a coup d’état nonetheless”.

Judges are often open, when speaking extra-judicially, about what they see as their obligation strike down (in Lord Woolf’s phrase) “bad laws”. In one sense, judicial activism is inescapable. Someone, after all, has to be the final arbiter. As Bishop Hoadley of Winchester remarked three centuries ago, “whoever interprets a law may justly be considered the lawgiver, not he who first wrote or spake it”.

Still, why does the judiciary lean Left? Half a century ago, the popular stereotype of a judge was of a stern disciplinarian committed to the absolute defence of property rights. What changed?

Part of the problem is surely the appointments system. Judges used to be chosen by the Lord Chancellor – a system which on paper seemed open to abuse and which, for that very reason, was in practice almost never abused. Successive Lord Chancellors, conscious of their responsibility, would carefully avoid any suspicion of partiality. Then, in 2005, Labour created a Judicial Appointments Commission, which was charged with promoting candidates on the basis, inter alia, of “the need to encourage diversity”. While diversity is certainly desirable (diversity in the fullest sense – of opinion and outlook as well as sex and race), the vagueness of the criterion opened the door to favouritism and partisanship.

Indeed, the prejudice starts further upstream. It’s not easy to be a judge unless you’ve been a QC. The Bar used to be self-regulating, but New Labour changed that, too, creating a quango called QC Appointments. Here, too, one of the criteria is 'commitment to diversity'.

Mother Teresa.

Woy Jenkins - One of The Worst Politicos of Our Age?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/non_fictionreviews/10717663/Roy-Jenkins-the-claret-lover-whose-ideas-havent-aged-well.html

Love Your Enemies.

Another Toxic Act From The EU.

UK 'cannot accept' EU decision to exclude Gibraltar from aviation legislation

A VOTE by Brussels will see Gibraltar excluded from draft legislation aimed to harmonise air traffic over the skies of Europe. Express.

The move means Gibraltar will have no say in the Single European Sky legislation [PA]

The UK cannot accept a return to the pre-2006 practice of suspending Gibraltar Airport from EU aviation measures

British Government spokesman

The move means Gibraltar will have no say in the Single European Sky legislation – including safety and regulation.

It could also see complications for flights attempting to land on the Rock if they need to communicate with Sevilla’s air traffic control.

The legislation aims to make Europe’s airlinesmore competitive while allowing them to share airspace and reduce pollution.

The vote is the latest in a series of moves by Spanish Prime Minister Rajoy’s Partido Popular government to annul the Trilateral Forum. Telegraph.

French Swing To Hard Right.

Le Front National won their first mayor in N. France yesterday.  Henin-Beaumont is the unlucky town. Hollande or Le Pen - what a horrible thought!

Adolfo Suarez.

RIP to one of the principal architects of Spain becoming a democracy in the post-Franco era.

Sound Advice.

Pray, and let God do the worrying.

Martin Luther.

Lord Neuberger.

Traditional views on sexuality silenced by new liberal "censoriousness", says Lord Neuberger 

Lord Neuberger

Britain’s most senior judge has warned that traditional views on sexuality are being shut out of debate as part of a liberal “censoriousness” about what views can be expressed in public.

Lord Neuberger said that attempts to make Britain more diverse were “insidiously” achieving the opposite by restricting free speech and shutting out traditionally held views as “unacceptable”. Christian Concern.
Read more >

Fish and Chips.

I am getting totally fed up with the number of chippies which cook in oil. Traditional fish and chips are cooked in beef dripping. The difference in taste is immeasurable.

I travel miles to find those shops which produce golden-brown tastiness as opposed to limp, lacklustre yellowish batter which is usually soggy on the inside.

A new shop opened within easy walking distance of our house last week. I got excited - then last Wednesday the moment of truth. Sadly - oil.

The shop has just replaced several others in the same location which have failed. Well, the others lost me immediately as a potential customer - this one has too.

Recent scientific conclusions on health rather suggest that dripping versus oil is no win to the latter!

20% - Just Who Are These People? One in Five Know Nowt!

Voters doubt PM can get better EU deal: Three quarters say they have no confidence he will be able to claw back powers

A poll has found that just 20 per cent think the Prime Minister can get a better deal with Brussels, while 72 per cent do not. Mail.

Help For The Righteous.

Why Are The Left Always So Downright Silly?

'Growing support for Ukip could see a rise in racism', warns Diane Abbott.

LABOUR MP Diane Abbott has denied that the rising popularity of Ukip represents a protest against the established Westminster parties. 

I like this lady. She has a great attitude to life but her two points here are unadulterated piffle!

Hmm. Written By A Dog Owner, I'm Guessing.

Goody - Yet More Cash To The EU.

Britain: Give us extra £2.4billion to solve hole in budget

TAXPAYERS [are] facing a shocking ­£2.4billion cash demand from Brussels to plug yet another hole in the European Union’s ­colossal budget.

By: Macer Hall

Published: March  2014

Blind Faith. (Well It Certainly Isn't Science.)

Creationist Group Answers in Genesis Says 'Cosmos' TV Series Promotes 'Blind Faith' in Evolution

By Stoyan Zaimov

Creationist group Answers in Genesis has spoken out against the TV series "Cosmos: A SpaceTime Odyssey," arguing that it promotes a "blind faith" in evolution. Christian Post.

Spending Power Plummets.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/10682032/Beer-bubble-how-price-of-a-pint-has-risen-twenty-fold.html

And STILL they claim inflation at around 3.5%? - Pah!

Moody.

'God never made a promise that was too good to be true.'

Dwight L. Moody