The BBC blog moderators suck

I've tried to post this a few times on Justin Webb's blog to no avail. Can I link to this? Let's see.

Marbles, thanks, I ask because I have followed goings on in the ME since 1970. I lived in Saudi for 15 months, aged 10 and have been interested ever since. Then I used to wave at King Faisal (and he waved back) when he spend Ramadan in Taif. There, women could not drive (and still cannot), alcohol was banned (you could get away with drinking home brew, but just don't give it to the locals).

I then spent a good few school vacations in Jordan in the late 70s while the new Amman airport was being built. I worked on the project, and I know what Inshallah means in practice, rather than in theory.

I met many Palestinians, saw Palestinian camps, know why they existed despite the financial donations, and had guns pointed at me. I know why it's OK to have close encounters with donkeys, and why drivers overtake around bends and indeed anywhere they cannot see oncoming traffic (it's that Inshallah thing).

I understand why the Israelis behave the way they do, and I understand why the Palestinians react.

That said, I do not understand why the Israelis continue to build settlements, or why voting Hamas can end in anything other than tears. I believe that Arafat had a chance of securing sovereignty and peace but he was more interested n power, and so the area has lost 10 years of peace and prosperity. I do not believe though that the Palestinians deserve nothing.

It's a big place

Last weekend I went to southern Idaho with my son, his friend, and his friend's father. The boys both play soccer and are involved in state level training (called the Olympic development program). The first 2 sessions had been based locally. This session, 3 hours, was to be in Caldwell.

We could have flown from Spokane, in neighboring Washington state. This is only an hours drive away. Then a one hour fight to Boise, rent a car, and drive 20 minutes to Caldwell.

Instead we took the cheap option. We drove down through Idaho, a mere 400 mile, 7 hour drive. So we had to go on the Saturday and stay the night. The training took place, and then we got back in the car. This time we took the longer yet quicker route. Adding another 50 miles, we came up through Oregon and Washington before turning back into Idaho. This only took 6 and a half hours.

The point of all this is the size of this one state, with a population of 1.5 million. Idaho is large and sparsely populated. So why do so many people have guns? Well, how long do you want to wait for the police to turn up and help? Will the be too late to help? Crime is not a major problem in the mostly rural areas, but why take a chance when you don't have to? Tight gun control takes place in the UK. The only effect of this control is that only the bad guys have guns. Aren't politicians clever?

Hunting, shooting and fishing

I was struck by the number of people who were against Palin because she was a 'moose killer'. Here in North Idaho, and indeed all around the USA, a huge number of people hunt. They do so for a number of reasons.

Free meat. OK, you need to pay for the licence and tag, but why pay for expenive beef when you have access to much cheaper (and tastier) meat?

Male bonding. It's undeniably a mostly male thing. Many go off into the mountains for the weekend with friends and sons, many go for a week at a time. It's a beatiful place to be, surrounded by amazing scenery and wildlife. Just make sure you wear the hunter's orange, humans can look amazingly like elk sometimes.

Guns. Many have guns and they like to use them.

Put these three reasons together and you have fun providing good cheap food for your family and friends. My neighbor has given me plenty. Deer is always welcome. Elk steaks are great. Moose is best in burgers. Bear makes great sausage. Don't be sqeamish, enjoy!

Memories

For some reason on this election day a line from a song from back in 1980 came to mind. "Left or right, right or left, it takes the same old oourse."

Bloody Revolution, by Crass.

Actually, more than that one line strikes a chord. I'll be spending the rest of the evening digging out my old vinyl singles now.

Boy Scouts

My two sons were in cub scouts when we lived in England. They both joined the american version once we arrived here and are now both Boy Scouts. I have to say that the Boy Scouts if America are a fantastic organisation.

Unusually (for Americans) they don't think they invented scouting, and indeed regularly and loudly proclaim good old BP.

The lessons my boys learn are useful and long lasting, and they have fun camping out all year round. A week long summer camp (near Crater Lake this year) in the heat to a weekend out in the mountains in February digging and then sleeping n snow caves.

The big difference to UK scouting? Religion. Faith is a fundamental part of scouting in the US. Our own troop is based in a church. If it were not for this (and a great summer day camp program elsewhere) we would not go to church. Despite our own lack of faith (and they don't care what faith, what denomination, what religion) what they are really looking for is goodness of character. We accept their good intentions and they accept us.

Scouting is not for everyone, and I'm aware that they don't accept everyone. That doesn't mean that they are not a worthwhile organisation, and it doesn't mean that they have to change. Long may they last.

Football (Soccer) in Idaho

My eldest son, nearly 14 now, has always loved playing the game. Unfortunately, here in North Idaho, it's a short season. Well, two short seasons. When the snow finally disappears in spring, we can start playing outdoors again and the season lasts April to May (this year April was a slow start as the snow just didn't want to go). School's out early June, so no point having games when eveyone's on vacation. The new season starts in August, and we are done already. No snow yet, but it's getting cold, below freezing at night already.

It's a different game to the one played in England, so maybe that's why it has a different name.

US elections

I've been following a blog on the BBC, lead by Justin Webb. I can't actually remember that last non-political thread. Now I am a conservative, but certainly wouldn't call myself right wing, and definitely not extreme. I try to make my points calmly, and try to avoid name-calling. What has stuck me though is the amazing hypocrisy of some of the democratic supporters posting on that blog.

There is outrage at Palin for supposedly trying to ban books, yet views contrary to their own are howled down, reported as being offensive, accusations of racism are hurled seemingly at random, and dissenting posters chased off. Someone even kept a straight face when chasing someone off with the remark 'leave us to carry on our discussions'. So a one-party Obama love-in is now called discussion?

Palin was laughed at for prefacing her remarks about Russia with the observation on how close Russia was, yet a well respected democratic-supporting poster remarked, without any irony or rebuke, that 'From where I am presently based in Asia, Iran is just down the road and Russia just up the road' when explaing his thoughts.

McCain was pilloried for saying 'my fellow prisoners', yet Biden's almost daily gaffes are brushed aside with 'that's just Biden' - as though that's a good thing!

It's been a fascinating lesson in paradigms. People react to what happens or what is said based entirely on their prejudices. The right is evil, so therefore everything anyone on the right says or does must be judged using this premise. The narrow-mindedness of some people is just astounding. Anyone quoting Fox News is ridiculed without what they actually say being even looked at, yet the same ridiculers quote Huffington Post without a second thought. A number of such posters have actually claimed to be 'intellectuals'.

The democrats claim that they are the party of fun, of humour. They just don't get it - they are merely accidental jokers.

I don't lump all democrats together - this is only aimed at some of the ones posting on that particular blog. In all fairness, there are also democrats that do listen and politely disagree. I have great respect for them. There are also fairly rabid right wingers (if their posts are real) who pop up once in a while, and they do their cause no good at all.

I just can't wait until this ridiculously over-drawn-out election is over.

Customer service

Back in the UK, American companies were often highlighted as a leader in customer service. So what is the truth? Well, since arriving in the USA in July, we have had mixed experiences.

Mostly folks in stores are good, welcoming and helpful. Financial service companies are variable. Our attempts to get a mortgage were a real struggle, with most companies we dealt with being useless. Some lied, some did nothing, and I couldn't help feeling that they operated without a brain - no personal experience of how to deal with someone with only non-US credit history, so they had to bluster instead of working out how to secure our business. Our bank, though, have been fantastic. They are a relatively small, local company. The staff are invariably friendly and helpful.

Finally, a comment on my favorite espresso stand. The girls there are always friendly and hard working. Some may say that it is put on, so doesn't count. The English have a word for the worth of this negative view, and it rhymes with rollocks. Some people are only happy when they complain. A happy face is always good to see, and only encourages further happiness.

So I conclude that certain US companies do indeed provide top class customer service - but small is superb, big is rollocks.

Michael Jackson

OK, speaking as an white Englishman, the only thing ordinary about Michael Jackson is his name. There are so many names around here that are unusual to me, such as Bridger, Kaelyn, Rooster, the list is endless. Somehow Michael ends up with what I have been brought up to consider a traditional name.

Anyway, I heard on the news today about how he waved at fans as he turned up at court. One such adoring female apparently moved to the trial town to be able to support him during this trying time. Good grief, get a life! Sadly, though, I cannot say that this over-the-top celebrity worship is a peculiarly American trait. The mass hysteria surrounding Diana Spencer's funeral was truly disturbing to behold.

Why do so many people need to idolise the famous? This fame thing is getting out of hand, you don't need talent, just a big mouth, or big breasts, or small brain. What great roll-models.

Up and running

But nothing yet to say - I'll return after a bit of work!