The Last Ditch

Life is not fair to women: Discuss

2012-01-26T19:38:09+00:00

CARPE DIEM: Women Have Less Political Ambition Than Men. So?

Why does this issue matter to a libertarian? Because special pleading by lobby groups is a primary cause of unnecessary legislation. As law is an evil to be avoided unless the alternative is a greater evil, unnecessary legislation saps liberty;

Like most gender differences in outcomes, there only ever seems to be concern when women are under-represented in fields like politics, and never any concern when men are under-represented for outcomes like bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, doctor's degrees, graduate school enrollment, biology degrees, veterinary degrees, optometry degrees, pharmacy degrees, etc. The only exceptions are when the outcomes are negative like prison populations, learning disabilities, occupational injuries and fatalities, motorcycle injuries and fatalities, suicides and drug addiction and then there is no concern about female under-representation.

I suspect this point could be made to most Single Issue Fanatic minorities claiming that stats show life is not fair to them. But let our lady readers have first go before we broaden the discussion please...

Public Drunkenness and Pomposity

2012-01-21T14:18:20+00:00

Public Drunkenness Can Never Be a Social Norm - Iain Dale - Dale & Co..

Apropos of my previous post and the widespread delusion that candid photography is against the law, Iain Dale is busy digging himself deeper into a hole after an ill-advised photographic tweet on his way home last night (click to enlarge).

I defend his freedom of speech, of course, but I think he should be happy the lady cannot be identified as the publication is arguably libellous.

As a libertarian, I think the laws of defamation fall under the category of "de trop", but for so long as they exist (and they have been around a long time) Iain needs, particularly as a professional communicator, to bear them in mind. Fortunately for him, the first time anyone would have chance to consider the effect on her reputation would be if she were rash enough to identify herself by suing. So she won't. Before she even considers it, she ought to read about the role of an ill-judged defamation suit in Oscar Wilde's downfall.

It's a surprising lapse for Iain who is famous for his media skills and a highly accomplished communicator (usually of not very much). An amusing Twitterstorm has ensued, as the professionally-offended on the Left take up chivalric cudgels while calling him a c**t and a w*****r without any sense of irony. They are also ranting on about the breach of this anonymous lady's privacy, which is nonsense. Firstly, she's still anonymous and secondly she was in a public place. Anywhere you can lawfully be looked at, you can generally be photographed. People take photos on trains all the time, and - although usually incidentally - there are almost always strangers in the frame.

For what it's worth, I think Mr Dale is guilty of bad manners and a surprising, for him, lack of media savvy. He says she was behaving badly, but the picture doesn't illustrate his point in any way. She could just be depressed or tired. As it comes down to his word, he should probably have left it at words.

Iain is in danger of being seen as using the hammer of his influence to crack the nut of his irritation with a minor disturbance to his peace (allegedly) caused by this woman. Sadly he comes off looking like a pompous prat. In his own interests he should have apologised immediately but having rashly mounted his high horse he's having trouble getting off. His lines of defence look tortured and weak (can he really not have realised the sexual connotations of 'slapper?') and are doing him no good.

The only benefit to his not apologising is that the stream of gleefully sanctimonious responses show the British Left up for the insufferable prigs they mostly are. Ironically, if this tweet represented his true character, it would be a trait Iain had in common with them.

Stick to your knitting madam

2012-01-21T12:53:52+00:00

Sarah Duncan Knitwear - SDK - 01225 333730 - sdkbath.com.

If you are in the market for mumsy knitwear in Bath, might I respectfully suggest that you steer clear of this particular shop? The owner, as can be seen here, is a nasty piece of work. That she is a spectacularly bad, selfish and inconsiderate parker is bad enough but would not rate a mention. She is also however an outright opponent of civil liberties who claims to believe it's illegal to film anyone without their consent. How does she think the BBC films street scenes? Or maybe it's just her consent that's required? Or that of her loutish husband?

When a passer-by films the jam she's caused by parking her car so badly, she first demands he hand over his camera phone and then pursues him, threatening to perjure herself by making a false accusation of assault. And so it goes on, with her husband intervening aggressively;

"Who the **** do you think you are?"

she asks. I wish the guy filming had had the presence of mind to answer "a free man in a public place, who do you think you are?"

"I want to know who you are and where you live"

she continues. Well we don't want to know where you live, madam. You are welcome to your privacy. We are glad we know where your business is though; the better to avoid lining the pockets of such a disgrace to a free nation.

These people have no grasp of the notion of liberty. Yes, they are only 'little people' running a tiny business. They don't matter very much and ordinarily I would wish them the best. However, while they are clearly less important than the politicians constantly chipping away our freedom, they represent the despicable "forbidden until authorised by law" mentality to which those politicians pander.

h/t Tim Worstall