Barraco Barner, tweets, Ukraine, Sarah Palin and Nukes

President Barner's got a lot to think about

As always I am running a little behind the rest of the world and I didn't see the already infamous Gemma Worrell tweet until today. If you haven't seen it here is the wording:

Why is our president Barraco Barner getting involved with Russia, scary

This tweet has gone world wide and has been used by some commentators as a metaphor for "Dumb Britain."

Let's be honest it does look like the comment of a bimbo especially when you factor in that she is a twenty something beautician. Stereotypes, media portrayal of working class Britain and the failings of our education system come out screaming.

It is, ultimately a storm in a tea cup that plays to some of the nastiest elements of the human psyche. Firstly the girl made a typo... If someone recorded all the stupid things I've said or written over the years (including the zinger "Bus drivers make up their own routes") then I'd be open to world wide ridicule at least twice a week. Let it go.

Does it say anything about our nation's education? No.

People make spelling mistakes all the time or blooper. OK so Obama isn't our president but the sentiment is just as important. It is showing a young woman taking an interest in current events rather than which celeb is shagging who or in hair and make up - let' give her points for trying and phonetically  spelling the name.

Is it about class? About standards? Stereotypes? - Really? This is what you're going to focus on?

Let's not worry about the obvious and celebrate that current events are being spoken about by stereotypical groups that wouldn't normally bother with them.

Instead of worrying about this girl, who has no influence, and has said something that sounds stupid and let's look at what Sarah Palin has said in a speech to fellow Republicans;

Mr President, the only thing that stops a bad guy with a nuke is a good guy with a nuke

This is a really scary and stupid thing to say. I thought the old attitudes of the Cold War were well and truly gone. It wreaks of the Cuban missile's crisis and sincerely worries me that there are political figures out there that think that pointing ICBMs in the direction of Moscow and leaving the red button  out still there in this world. I mean G. W was a bit of a dunce but not even he considered nuking Baghdad!

The really, really, REALLY scary thing about this whole Palin debacle is that I can picture Putin shrugging his shoulders at her comment and ordering his missiles turned the other way. Palin is an idiot but Putin is a calculating and cold. He would push the button when Khrushchev wouldn't.

Yes, it was amusing to laugh at someone's twitter mistake but let's also not take our eye of the ball and look seriously at some of the idiotic things that are being said by those who have influence and worst still have bigger fools agreeing with them.

Cameron, Trident and North Korea

I thought on the day that is timetabled as the end of the world and the day Kim-Jung Un orders his men to march south, that I'd write a small piece on why David Cameron was wrong about Trident being a good thing going into this possible conflict and why ultimately it doesn't make any difference.

Nuclear weaponry is something that the world wishes it could un-invent. One of the reasons the Allies pushed to coming up with an atomic bomb was just to act as a deterrent to the Axis powers having them and maybe starting the cold war early. The problem was the Germans hadn't the materials or means to deliver such a weapon and little real understanding of what the device would be. One scientist told Feldmarschall Milch of the Luftwaffe that an atomic bomb would be about the size of a pineapple!

When it came to bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki the Allies only dropped the bombs to demonstrate to the Russians the power and awe that they had harnessed. Don't believe the argument that it shortened the war and saved the landing of troops as the USAAF, RAF, RAAF, RCAF and VVS all had enough munitions, aircraft and personnel to blast Japan back to the stone age with a lengthened aerial bombardment, the kind of firestorms and brute force that had been meted out to Germany's cities like Hamburg, Ulm, Dresden and Berlin.

The same is now true for North Korea. The UN and NATO have access to such a vast air fleet of strike aircraft, should North Korea go to start a war then within three days complete aerial supremacy could be attained. Don't be fooled, the CIA has got enough information on North Korea to properly assess their nuclear capabilities and their military strength and locations. This is no Cuban missiles crisis, nor the Balkans tensions in the late 90s when Russia and the West squared off over an airfield.

Nor is this a case of the Eastern bloc facing Democracy. The Warsaw pact powers no longer exist. Only China stands behind North Korea and they would back away should nukes start flying around the place!

Kim-Jung Un's nuclear delivery is really quite limited with only South Korea, Japan and maybe Guam falling in range. Though there are bigger rockets under development that could be used against Australia, Los Angeles and San Francisco they are far from ready.

As for Great Britain's contribution? Well last week David Cameron smugly stated that it was for moments like this it was a good thing we still had Trident.

Really?

The USA still has a massive arsenal of ICBMs and Stealth bombers able to launch from American soil and deliver a nuclear blast into down town Pyongyang.

What would they want our small fleet of submarines for?

England isn't under direct threat and our small amount of nuclear power would be a drop in the ocean compared to what America can fire.

The nation would be better off scrapping an obsolete relic of the cold war and investing the money into our ailing economy and job creation.

Ashley Judd may not be allowed to stand in Kentucky

It was interesting to read on International Women's day last Friday that Television and Movie star Ashley Judd (pictured here in her role as Ensign Robin Lefler in Star Trek TNG) may be barred from standing for the US senate because she has appeared topless in her role as an actresss.

This seems unnecesarily ridiculous. Had she made pornographic movies or illegal material I could understand but if you take a few moments to IMDB her filmography you'll see there is nothing of that nature here at all. Even if she had made Pornography in the past why should that block someone from being an elected representitive? Surely that is up to the electorate to decide.

In the case of Ms Judd, the movies in which she has appeared nude she ha done so for entertainment value, because it was a requirement of the script and/or it was artistic. It seems a horrific double standard that the American entertainment industry, and indeed the movie going public are happy to have naked women in their productions but still castigate the actresses later for doing so.

The double standard is then further pushed when you think of the topless imagery of male actors, such as Governor Schwarzenehger and everyone just shrugs. So its ok for a man to do it but not a woman?

It hasn't been a problem in the UK where Glenda Jackson MP has a similar past and as an actress appeared naked on screen but it was never a focus of her excellent political career for this nation.

According to the Washington Post article by Chris Cillizza, the current Republican encumbant Mitch McConnell specialises in attacking his opponants and the movie appearances may be an extra arrow in his quiver, there will certainly be conservatives within Kentucky who would be turned away from her just because of it. Though let's be honest, the people who would take offence to it would probably vote Republican anyway.

Other problems facing Judd is that she has been parachuted in to the state to run and that her residence in Tenesee is proving a major road block and one that is being exploited by McConnell already. Even Kentucky Democrats are getting shakey about it, they fear that as a celebrity with plenty of soundbites that could be seen as controversial in Kentucky, there will be more than enough.

Indeed one Democrat in Kentucky has said:

Electing Ashley Judd gets a Republican Legislature elected. That's what I see at stake here. Your perspective is different if you're in New York or Los Angeles. They don't live here. We do. Judd's candidacy makes it seamlessly easy to Obama-ize this election

Which is more than a fair comment, after all making comments like;

Apple is known for the clean lines of their products, the alluring simplicity of their designs... Dare I...go so far...as to suggest...this signature cleanness is stained by the shit and urine of raped women’s leaking fistulas


Although at the time, she was writing about the conflict mineral mining in Africa and the sufferings of locals that are often missed by consumers who don't think of where or how their finished products are made which is a very important cause but this will not be looked at kindly if taken out of context by the Republicans.

(I would urge you to read the original article though by Ms Judd (here) it is very thought provoking and should be of benefit to her cause. )

These sorts of causes are popular in California and even New York but the mostly rural Kentucky is going to have a mixed response to it unfortunately and that is what local democrats are fearing, that despite her money raising capability (which would match McConnell) she will also bring damage to the local democtratic brand where as an unknown candidate would point at McConnell's record in Senate without the detractions which their opponant specialises in.

Should Ashley Judd actually stand, this will be an amazing election to watch and I wish her luck in running!

Measure B passed by LA county

Aurora Snow

Precisely a month and a day late I am writing about the success of Measure B voted for in Los Angeles County.

Not heard of it?

No, nor had I until two months ago and that was through an obscure channel and I'd forgotten about it until this morning - hence the delay.

A while back I read this article by adult performer Aurora Snow and found it quite interesting.

Basically the bill is a battle of freedoms and liberties.

The Pro B wing argued that performers in the adult industry had the right over their own body and freedom from disease.

The anti B wing argued the state that the LA county was attacking the industry's freedom of speech and expression. The industry also argued that it was self regulating and that performers had to be tested regularly. Interestingly though, as Miss Snow pointed out, only for HIV, Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia with a zero need for Syphilis or Herpes or any others.

I'm personally fairly indifferent to Pornography as an industry as I believe that if someone willingly enters into the that line of work, like Miss Snow did, and they enjoy the work, moreover willing adults buy the magazines and movies then that is up to them as long as it is not invading my personal liberties or it is where minors can get at it then it is all fine. One of the fundamentals of law is that you are free to act as you will as long as you do not cause negative effects on another person's liberties and what you do behind closed doors in your own time (again, not effecting someone elses Liberties) is your private business.

However, no matter what your feelings are towards the adult business you have to respect the right of the performers to be disease free and not give in to industry pressures or bullying. It is akin to workmen being forced to remove Asbestos without breath masks and hazard suits. STDs can be deadly and those that aren't can have a really negative effect on your life and everyone has the right to work in a safe environment.

Further to that is the cultural stigma against safe sex. Anything that can add to the idea that safe sex is good for you is a bonus. Those who want to engage in casual sex with multiple partners in their personal life should really par take in safe sex to cut back on the risk to themselves and others. Miss Snow puts it perfectly when she states that when there was a slip up on set she had to contact previous industry partners and her boyfriend at the time. If the adult industry starts showing performers engaging in safe sex then surely that will transmit to those watching the movies too.

I am happy to report that the measure was passed with 55% of the vote despite some big company support for the Industry's "No" campaign shown in Gail Dine's Guardian article and is now law.

Any one working in a workforce is entitled to protection from reasonable danger by their employer and they should provide the means to make sure they are kept safe through contraception and paying for health checks.

The downside is that having been quite vocal against the Industry's preferred stance, Aurora Snow now fears that her career will be harmed. Only time will tell but in my opinion it should not be held against her and that she can continue - I unfortunately fear that her career will suffer harm but hope that an individual standing up for what they believe in will not face any repercussions on this.