Shire Network News #122 has been released. The feature interview is with British Member of Parliament for Wells, David Heathcote-Amery. He is talking to Tom Paine about the precarious state of democracy in Europe with a new European constitution (in all but name) being rammed down the throats of an unwilling populace. Click here for the show notes, links, and ways to listen to the show; directly from the web site, by downloading the mp3 file, or by subscribing with your podcatcher of choice.

Below is the text of my commentary.

Hi, this is Doug Payton for Shire Network News, asking you to "Consider This".

Senator Barack Obama gave a speech in Philadelphia this past week on race issues. The speech was precipitated by connections being drawn between Obama and his pastor of 20 years, Rev. Jeremiah Wright.  This "religious Wright" has put the Left into a bit of quandary.  "How do we ignore or minimize this sort of speech, while still reserving the right to castigate the Right for the same thing?"

Take Pat Robertson.  Yeah, yeah, I know some of you want to say "Please!" (ba-da-dum), but hear me out.  The same folks who are telling us about Rev. Wright that we gotta’ understand his point of view, or understand his background, or consider the history of blacks in this country, never ever give the same consideration when Robertson says something inflammatory or just simply silly.  And when he does say something outrageous, here comes the Left with their size 82 paintbrush and their #10 can of tar, standing outside every church ready to paint all those church-goers with the same stuff.  >slop<  "Wingnut!"  >sploosh< "Extremist!" 

Now, frankly, we do need to take history into consideration when working cross-culturally.  Heck, even intra-culturally; not all people of pallor come from exactly the same background.  But there are a few points to consider.  First of all, is handwaving away or minimizing the best way to combat lies or conspiracy theories?  (I don’t think so.)  Sounds to me like the Left is more concerned with hurt feelings than, y’know, lies.  The press has clearly signaled that they’d just like this whole thing to go away.  "Nothing to see here, move along.  Oh look, McCain make a speaking gaffe!"

And maybe this would all be less of a deal if my second point wasn’t that these words were coming from a pulpit.  Most of Robertson’s statements that actually get press come on a TV show where he’s covering the news, not preaching.  Wright’s comments come directly from his role as a pastor.  I see this as more egregious in this context than normal political speech on the street.  And yet those paintbrushes come out from those on the Left >splosh< and they decorate us when a guy who’s not our pastor, priest or rabbi goes out on a limb. 

My third point is probably the most controversial, so let me be as plain as I can and lay this out.  When a man of one race says something controversial, he’s called out on it, loud and clear.  When a man of a different race says something controversial, all manner of considerations are made for him; from the history of how his race was treated — true as it may be — to the understanding of why he might hold such ideas to the fact that others’ views are worse.  What would you call that double standard?

In this country, the Right will call out nuttiness where it finds it, even in its own camp.  The Left won’t.  Which side sounds like it’s more ready for racial equality?  Consider that.

Shire Network News #121 has been released. The feature interview is a continuation of the discussion from last week with retired Green Beret Lt Col Gordon Cucullu, who is worried about the increasing cultural gap between western military forces and the civillian population.  This week’s show comes to you, not from London, and not even from our emergency backup studio in Australia. No, Shire Network News this week is hosted by Meryl Yourish in Richmond VA!  Click here for the show notes, links, and ways to listen to the show; directly from the web site, by downloading the mp3 file, or by subscribing with your podcatcher of choice.

I did not have a commentary this week.

Shire Network News #120 has been released.

This week’s feature interview is with former Green Beret Lt Col Gordon Cucullu, who says there’s a growing cultural rift between the US military and civilian society, which is endangering preparedness to face unexpected challenges, such as the Venezuela/Colombia War of 2008.

What’s that? You hadn’t heard about that potential regional conflict which might drag the US in? Precisely the Colonel’s point.

Click here for the show notes, links, and ways to listen to the show; directly from the web site, by downloading the mp3 file, or by subscribing with your podcatcher of choice.

Below is the text of my commentary.

Hi, this is Doug Payton for Shire Network News, asking you to "Consider This!"

Barack Obama is campaigning to be the nominee from the Democratic Party for President of the United States.  A video was released on YouTube in which he enumerates the defense policies he would like to enact should he be elected President.  In the interest of the public service, I will be translating what he says into practical terms, so that all those listening can truly understand what he is saying and can make an informed decision, should he be on the ballot.  Here, then, is Senator Barack Obama.

I’m the only major candidate who opposed this war from the beginning, and as President I will end it. 

Translation: I’m the only major candidate who thought that liberating Iraqis, and cutting off the flow of funds to terrorists from Saddam Hussein, was a waste of time.  Shooting at our aircraft enforcing the no-fly zones was no big deal.  As President, I vow to remove all troops from Iraq, where the enemy is, but keep them in countries in Europe where the enemy isn’t.

Second, I will cut tens of billions of dollars of wasteful spending. 

Translation: I will sound vaguely conservative.

I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems.  I will not weaponize space.  I will slow our development of future combat systems.

I will be fiscally "responsible" by shirking my duty to defend the country from new threats and new technology. 

And I will institute an independent Defense Priorities Board to ensure that the quadrennial defense review is not used justify unnecessary spending.

I will create a new committee to make sure that the other committee’s report isn’t used to stay ahead of the bad guys.  If we drop our weapons, it stands to reason that they will drop theirs.

Third, I will set a goal of a world without nuclear weapons. 

See previous translation.

To seek that goal, I will not develop new nuclear weapons, I will seek a global ban on the production of fissile material,…

Which, I am sure, Iran, North Korea and China will be more than happy to join me in.  I trust them implicitly.  Oh, and al Qaeda.  I will endeavor to bring my Swiss Army Knife to all gun battles.

…and I will negotiate with Russia to take our ICBMs off hair-trigger alert, and to achieve deep cuts in our nuclear arsenal.

I trust Vladimir Putin, and his hand-picked successor, implicitly.  Thank you, and sleep tight.

This has been a public service by Shire Network News, and the McCain for President committee.  OK, McCain doesn’t know we’re doing this, but tell me with a straight face that he wouldn’t like it.  Consider that.

Technorati Tags: Shire Network News, Lt. Col. Gordon Cucullu, military, Barack Obama, defense spending

Shire Network News #119 has been released. The feature interview is with the author of "Culturism", John Press, who says if we don’t believe we have the right to defend our own culture, then we’ll lose it. Click here for the show notes, links, and ways to listen to the show; directly from the web site, by downloading the mp3 file, or by subscribing with your podcatcher of choice.

I did not have a commentary this week.

Technorati Tags: Shire Network News, John Press, Culturism

Shire Network News #118 has been released. Ezra Levant returns to our show for the second week and talks about how the blogosphere is the real power behind the fight back against Human Rights Commissions and other transgressions of the state. He tells us about the Union he has formed to protect bloggers from malicious legal threats. Click here for the show notes, links, and ways to listen to the show; directly from the web site, by downloading the mp3 file, or by subscribing with your podcatcher of choice.

I did not have a commentary this week.

Technorati Tags: Shire Network News, Ezra Levant, human rights, free speech

Shire Network News #117 has been released. The feature interview is with Ezra Levant, who is the former publisher of Canada’s Western Standard newspaper, and who was famously hauled up in front of some sort of bogus Province of Alberta Kangaroo Court for a variety of thought crimes. Click here for the show notes, links, and ways to listen to the show; directly from the web site, by downloading the mp3 file, or by subscribing with your podcatcher of choice.

Below is the text of my commentary.

Hi, this is Doug Payton for Shire Network News asking you to "Consider This!"

Regular listeners to SNN will recall that in May of 2007 I talked about the children’s show "Tomorrow’s Pioneers", a Hamas-produced TV show that depicted a young girl and her mouse sidekick, named Farfur, meaning butterfly.  The purpose of Farfur was to indoctrinate Palestinian children to the idea of jihad and to demonstrate just how eeevil the Jews are.  Episodes on how to properly hold an AK-47 give you an idea of just how "charming" this show was.

At the time, the Palestinian government, aware of the PR fiasco it might be incurring, said they would nix the show.  When Hamas refused to stop airing the show, the government said that, well, OK, but they’d be watching it closely.

I’m sure they have, and here in February of 2008 the show is still going strong.  I guess in the world of the Palestinians, "oversight" simply means to watch.  These days, there is a new sidekick.  It’s a rabbit named Assud, meaning lion.  Either these Hamas producers enjoy this sort of cognitive dissonance, or they just didn’t have the requisite costumes. 

Assud’s arrival was required after his predecessor, Nahoul the bee, died because he couldn’t get to a hospital in Egypt for surgery.  Someone apparently didn’t tell him that Hamas took down that wall a few weeks ago.  Of course, Egypt’s feelings toward the Palestinians made a rapid change after that development; from "we support the Palestinians in their plight" to "hey, who invited you here?"  So it sounds like Nahoul still wouldn’t get his operation, and it still would be Israel’s fault.

Before Nahoul, Farfur himself died at the hands of an Israeli after Farfur wouldn’t sell his land and got punched out on camera.  The desensitizing of Palestinian children continues unabated, but it’s all "educational", doncha’ know?

So now Assud, the rabbit named "Lion", follows in these illustrious footsteps, vowing to liberate the Al-Aqsq mosque and the Palestinian "homeland".  Not exactly your typical Children’s Television Workshop faire.  Assud seeks martyrdom and intends to eat Jews, all while bringing "smiles and joy back to the children of Palestine".

Just remember, this is on a television station run by the terrorist group that is in power in the Palestinian territories.  This is the voice of a group that wants to be taken seriously on the world stage, and, unfortunately, is taken seriously by too much of the world.  They say they want to live in peace, but ingrain in their preschool children a hatred of and desire to kill their neighbors.  Until this sort of insanity stops, they cannot be taken seriously and cannot be taken at their word.  Peaceful is as peaceful does.  The rabbit named "Lion", who is teaching Palestinian children, isn’t.

Consider that.

Technorati Tags: Shire Network News, Hamas, Palestinians, Farfur, Nahul, Assud

Shire Network News #116 has been released. The feature interview is the second half of the interview with Mark Steyn, in which he talks about all the ways in which he is currently under investigation. In this part of his interview he continues where he left off discussing his prosecutions in Canada taking on no go areas in Britain and plenty of other topics on the way. Click here for the show notes, links, and ways to listen to the show; directly from the web site, by downloading the mp3 file, or by subscribing with your podcatcher of choice.

Below is the text of my commentary.

Hi, this is Doug Payton for "Shire Network News", asking you to "Consider This!"

Recently in the United States, we celebrated that high holy day of politics known as "Super Tuesday", when many states hold their presidential primary balloting.  This year, "Super Tuesday" fell on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, the first day in the season of Lent.  Now, on the day before Ash Wednesday, Mardi Gras is celebrated, which is French for "Fat Tuesday".  so some had suggested the day be renamed this year to "Super Fat Tuesday", or perhaps "Morbidly Obese Tuesday". 

With so many candidates still in play for both the Republicans and Democrats, no outcome was sure.  There were many surprises, but not all of them were publicized.  So, from the home office in Camillus, NY, here are the top 9 lesser-known surprises from Super Tuesday polling:

#9 – Yassar Arafat won all the delegates from Gaza

#8 – "Tastes Great" beat out "Less Filling" 2:1 in Wisconsin.

#7 – The New York Giants may have won the most points, but the New England Patriots won the popular vote.

#6- Al Gore insists he won Ohio and wants a recount.

#5 – Hillary Clinton won the critical demographic of angry Saudi jihadists.

#4 – The states of Georgia and Alabama finally agreed on something.

#3 – The "Obama Girl" didn’t go out to vote, for anybody.  The Obama cadaver, on the other hand, did manage to vote.  14 times.  In Chicago.

#2 – Howard Dean, in an effort to preclude a brokered convention, threatened to use his "Dean Scream of Death" to force reconciliation in the Democratic party.

And the number one lesser-known surprise from Super Tuesday polling:

American Idol still gets a better turnout of voters.

Yes, if Paula Abdul were running for office, you gotta’ wonder if perhaps she’d win. 

Back to you, Brian.

Technorati Tags: Super Tuesday, Shire Network News, Yassar Arafat, Obama girl, Hillary Clinton, Howard Dean, Paula Abdul

Shire Network News #115 has been released. The feature interview is with Mark Steyn, talking about all the ways in which he is currently under investigation. In the first of a two part interview Mark joins us again and unleashes a torrent of witty and clever observation.. Click here for the show notes, links, and ways to listen to the show; directly from the web site, by downloading the mp3 file, or by subscribing with your podcatcher of choice.

I did not submit a commentary for this week, but there are other good ones, including Meryl Yourish, who has found some fishy Scientology goings on in Sderot.

Shire Network News #114 has been released. The feature interview is with Jonah Goldberg (yes, that Jonah Goldberg).  His new book, Liberal Fascism, is causing a bit of a stir among liberals who don’t understand.  There is a whole blog about the books reception set up at the National Review.  Click here for the show notes, links, and ways to listen to the show; directly from the web site, by downloading the mp3 file, or by subscribing with your podcatcher of choice.

Below is the text of my commentary.

Hi, this is Doug Payton with Shire Network News, asking you to "Consider This!"

You and I have all heard those children’s fairy tales as kids, I’m sure; Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Jack & the Beanstalk, the Three Little Pigs.  And we turned out OK, didn’t we? 

Well, a British government agency for educational technology, Becta, has rejected a digital book for kids based on the Three Little Pigs, and the reasons for that rejection may surprise you.  Or not.  "The Three Little Cowboy Builders", put out by the publisher Shoo-fly, has already won the Education Resource Award, but it won’t be able to get the BETT Award since the Becta agency is a leading partner in that, and Becta has some serious concerns about this bit of literature.

(For those who aren’t familiar with the British term "cowboy builder", such as myself, Brian of London has educated me.  Apparently, they are builders of ill repute that often don’t do a job that is up to specs.  The digital book uses this idea for a little humor.)

There is, of course, the now-classic issue of offending Muslims, forgetting, of course, that, as far as I know, there have been no Jihads or other unpleasantness because of the telling of the Three Little Pigs in nursery schools throughout the Western world.  But this is the post-9/11 world, and the liberal mindset in our educational institutions has decided that nothing that "oinks" is fit for general public consumption.  Pity the poor 2nd grader who passes a barbeque restaurant.  Maybe it’s time to ban them.

But the Becta agency didn’t stop there.  Oh no, they found all manner of nits to pick with this "subversive" story.  It’s not just that the pigs may offend Muslims, but the whole story may offend (ready for this?) the building trade.  To quote the judges, "Is it true that all builders are cowboys, builders get their work blown down, and builders are like pigs?"

I’d like to offer my advice from years of experience to the agency and answer these questions for them, definitively; no, No, and NO!  These judges, the story notes, are mostly practicing educators, so in the interest of academics, I’d like to anticipate any further confusions these "educators" may have and answer some unasked questions.

Can bears make porridge?  No.

Can bears talk among themselves about who or what has been using their bedroom furniture?  No.

Do bears even have bedroom furniture?  No.

Are all little blonde girls prone to walk into strange houses and make themselves at home?  No.

Do all geese lay eggs made of pure gold?  No.  How would they propagate the species?

Are all giants hungry for Englishmen? No.

Are there any giants who live in the clouds, and who are accessible by impossibly large vegetable plants?  No.

And finally, no, wolves will not come by your house and blow it to the ground.  Well, as long as it’s made of brick. 

And just so we reduce further the chance of offense, how about we try this: This little Becta employee went to market, this little Becta employee stayed home….  Hmm, maybe not.  I’m sure it would cause our children to think that all government employees are lazy and just go shopping. 

Is this yet another example of political correctness and hyper-sensitivity run amok?  No, actually.  Simply the existence of political correctness and hyper-sensitivity are enough to visit this nonsense upon us.  No amok-running required. 

A spokesman for Becta said that the digital book was not put on the short list for winners because, "it failed to reach the required standard across a number of criteria".  One wonders how low one must reach to locate those standards. 

My advice would be; Shoo-fly, don’t bother them.  You just keep doing what you do best.  We’ve got your back.

Consider that.

Shire Network News #113 has been released. The feature interview is with California-based filmmaker, Chris Burgard, whose documentary about the situation on the US-Mexico border is winning awards and making all the right people mad. Click here for the show notes, links, and ways to listen to the show; directly from the web site, by downloading the mp3 file, or by subscribing with your podcatcher of choice.

I did not have a commentary submitted for this week.