[discrimination] voltaire maxim must prevail

Charles Robertson has said, upon his return:

It is, apparently, a problem that we don't have anti-discrimination legislation. But why?

I'm with him to this point. Then he adds:

It is certainly appropriate that such rules should be applied to public bodies. That goes without question - the government is paid for by all of us, and exists to serve our collective interests. Bigotry has no place there.

I must respectfully disagree. However, Charles qualifies his own remarks:

If the owner of Prejudiced Ltd has an irrational hatred of a given group of individuals, and doesn't want to employ them or trade with them - why force him or her to?

Charles then adds:

Please note: I'm not defending discrimination of any kind.

To which I reply, in his comments section:

I am. Very much so. People can say what they darned well like, as far as I'm concerned. The moment we make rules about what a person can or cannot say, it's the road to tyranny.

Having strongly asserted the Voltaire maxim, [mentioned here]I also assert the Free Jersey maxim - that if they want to shoot themselves in both feet by denying themselves access to a wider (and potentially more talented) pool of labour, and prefer to artificially constrict their own available market, isn't that a good thing as it will be harder for their business to survive?

Precisely. The only arbiter here is market forces. As for the public sector, he should have every right to bad-mouth, say, dirty Trinitarians - he just won't be promoted or given any position of note. He'll just be shunned. That's prejudice against him.

So yes - I defend discrimination because it's impossible to stop and because to try to legislate it out of existence is worse than the original offence.

And there is a self-actualizing tendency against the bigot anyway, without any legislation being required.

[language] storeroom of values

This blog tries to steer a neutral course on this issue but just had to report a conversation from today:

Lady client [seeing the post on reading maps]: What's heterosexual?

Me: Opposite of homosexual.

Lady client: You mean "normal"?

[blogpower awards] final categories posted

Annual Blogpower Awards

Categories have now been prepared and are posted over at Blogpower for your perusal.

[greener than thou] bush and the eu jockey for position

This is bad:

First some good: Angela Merkel has called for a major [ecological] deal, including slowing the rise in average temperatures by way of a cut in global emissions by 50% below 1990 levels by 2050.

However, George W Bush, who has consistently refused to countenance Kyoto, instead seems to be trying to set up a separate framework on climate change talks outside the G8.

In Washington, he said the US would hold a series of meetings bringing together "nations that produced most greenhouse gas emissions, including nations with rapidly growing economies like India and China".

"The United States is in the lead," he said. "The world is on the verge of great breakthroughs that will help us become better stewards of the environment."

I think if you look through this blog, which is generally quite pro-American, even pro-Republican, if not pro the current White House incumbents, you'll never find me refer to Bush as an environmental criminal. Now you can. Bush is an environmental criminal.

This is good

Odiyya reports that despite Bush's attempts to have it his own way:

Arnold Schwarzenegger arrived in BC today amidst a ceremonial welcome by the provinces First Nations community. Arnold was given three ceremonial gifts before getting down to business with BC Premier Gordon Campbell and signing a five point agreement on fighting global warming.

The two leaders have committed to working together on the issue regardless of the participation of the US and Canadian federal governments.

So, while world leaders squabble over who'll get the kudos and whose plan they'll use, other leaders actually get down to business.

[blogpower awards] state of categories on friday

This is the state of play, as of Friday, concerning the Categories for the awards. Naturally, the categories need reducing - maybe 12 altogether. Please comment over at Blogpower [sidebar]:

Possible categories:

Shameless self promotion [8]
BestProse [7]
BestLayout and style [7]
Best Ranter [5]
Politically incorrect [5]
Sadly missed [5]
Prettiest blog [5]
Sadly Missed [5]
Tastiest blog [5]
Award for services to blogging [5]
Blogger we feel most sorry for [5]
Best Blogger [4]
Best Blogpower blogger [4]
Best Blog name [4]
Humorous post [4]
Under-rated [4]
Most unintentionally humorous [4]
Worthy blog [4]
Most over-rated [4]
Best Post [4]
Most curmudgeonly [4]
Best Fisker [3]
Most original blogger [3]
Best Political Blog [3]
Likely to be under security surveilance [3]
Collegiate blogger [for Blogpowerers] [3]
Likely to still be blogging 10 years from now... [3]
Best Blog by country [3]
Best Template [3]
Best Swearer [2]
Best Cultural Blog [2]
Best Transgender blog [2]
Slowest to load [2]
Best Expatriate blog [2]
Gracious loser in such a competition [2]
Most humorous blogger [2]
Prolific blogger [2]
Unintelligible [2]
Pre-pubescent language [2]
Weird blog [2]
Idiotic blog [2]
Moaner [2]
Best Award Scheme [1]
Prolific [1]
Diverse [1]
Fatwa-worthy [1]
Prolix blogger [1]
You could take home to your mother [1]
Link-whore[1]

Certain categories might be combined here. Remember that the final selection is posted this evening.

I have switched off comments on this post as they should more properly be put on the Blogpower version of the post.

[ségolène] still very much a chance

The headline said:

Ségolène Royal plaide pour une opposition constructive

… and well might she plead for this. She wants another shot five years from now, her personal popularity still intact. All she needs now is to separate herself from the "mad as a hatter" policies and infighting of her beloved left and she'd possibly be in.

Let's face it - Sarko is on a hiding to nothing. He was hired to do unpleasant things. No matter how well he does that, even including leftist women on his team, that will make him more unpopular. I know some French women and they don't like him - physically, as a man, that is. "Looks" is a huge factor with them.

Segie looks better. All she has to do is sit back, incapable of being attacked and enter, the queen, five years later.