Rules in society create good law and order. But too many nannying, unnecessary rules restrict freedom and make criminals out of ordinary people.
We need to root through the laws of our land, identify anything which looks unnecessary, pointless, or just downright daft, and ask – are these necessary? And we need your help.
Repealing unnecessary laws — HMG - Your Freedom
Before the Government starts crowdsourcing legislative initiatives, perhaps the wisdom of crowds might provide it with synonyms and antonyms for ‘necessary’. At age 10, my teacher would have marked me down for repetition if I used the same word three times in four sentences. Never mind. With this absurd initiative, The Coalition is apparently pitching itself at the level of the newly literate.
Janelle Monáe - Cold War & Tightrope (Live at Joe’s Pub, NYC 10th April 2010)
Albarn’s cocky, cockney persona sometimes encourages underestimation of his achievements, but he is our most unremittingly inventive pop figure in the 40 years since Bowie’s emergence. We should be glad to have him.
Robyn - Sleeping With A Broken Heart
Pelosi is an idealist working in the practical now. She genuinely sees her party as a vehicle for good and her pragmatism is not the least bit cynical. She is the most powerful woman in the country, the most fearless person on Capitol Hill and on track to be one of the most productive speakers in history.
I don’t know about you, but that kind of knocks me out.
Gail Collins’s column from Saturday is a reminder that I really need to get (and read) her book.
So, my walk to the bookies wasnt my post-post-colonial moment. It wasn’t even post-colonial. I’m still not-English. I’m the mild colonial boy, in a ditch, fighting for Ireland; I’m starving to death because the spud crop has failed — the grass juice is on my chin. Granted, the grass is drenched in extra-virgin olive oil and not many starving peasants drive Volvo estates, but it’s the state of mind that counts.