Damning evidence indeed – most of Christian Europe was probably 'Islamist' by this standard.

MAH book review (this is a .pdf link)

monstrous, monstrous Rainbow Nation, bleeding colours everywhere

RSA xenophobic mobs and murders (at least 42 killings thus far): 'Why the police blew it'.

meanwhile, here's a claim.

"We don't know the exact number of shops looted and burnt, but it's a lot," said Billy Jones, senior superintendent with the Western Cape provincial police.
He added that a Somali died but it was unclear whether this was linked to the attacks...Authorities said a Malawian man was shot in Durban overnight and three other foreigners were stabbed in North West Province.

"DEMOCRACY AT ITS PEAK IN EQUATORIAL GUINEA"- just as it is natural in politics, the big leaders depend on other factors besides establishment and popularity, such as obedience, charisma and efficiency.

RIP Pauline Campbell

i've been whistling Lex's 'Fourteen Days' and the sax line from 'Show em whatcha got' all morning- have only discovered today that in the latter tune PE are sampling 'Darkest Light' by Long Island outfit the Lafayette Afro Rock Band, who - although it seems there is a fair amount of information from informed types about - i had, no, never heard of.
oh dear.

they gigged a lot in Paris, apparently, in the Barbès area.

bravo to the California Supreme Court!

Sudha Ramachandran on the Jaipur blasts

from The Zimbabwean paper, vol. 4, no.18, dated last Thursday, 8th-14th May, is the following piece, Heroes and villains - let's name them, where SW Radio Africa has started a list of Zim heroes and villains

Heroes:
1. MDC Councillor Rusere for Sadza, Wedza - died from injuries sustained in the rural violence. She had fled to MDC offices Harare but was one of those arrested in the raid on the offices and detained. Police ignored the court order to provide access to medical treatment.
2. Tabitha Marume, Rusape - Marume was part of a group of MDC activists who went to a torture camp at Manonga School, demanding the release of colleagues who had been abducted by soldiers. She was shot and killed.
3. 10,000 villagers in Makoni West who attended Marume's funeral in defiance of the ZPF violence. They sang songs of defiance, declaring violence will not stop them supporting MDC.
Villains:
1. Jabulani Sibanda - allegedly axed an MDC supporter in the head.
2. Emmerson Mnangagwa - in charge of the Joint Operations Committee (JOC) that oversees the violence campaign.
3. Gideon Gono - economic advisor to JOC. It costs money to beat and murder people.
4. Sithembiso Nyoni, Minister of Small to Medium Scale Enterprises - watched as 3 ZPF men with her seriously assault Zachariah Isaac Ncube at Gababi in Ward 1 in Nkayi North.
5. Former CIO director and cabinet minister Shadreck Chipanga - led war vets in attack on headmaster at Chakumba Primary School Makoni South. Headmaster battling for life with serious injuries.
6. Daniel Romeo Mutsunguma, CIO agent employed at Zim embassy Washington, USA - MDC allege he murdered Tabitha Marume.
7. Thabo Mbeki - as chair of the UN Security Council he blocked UN action over the Zimbabwe crisis - along with help from China, Russia and Vietnam.

1. cruel, illogical, stupid: a catch-22 type for 55 south Asian medical workers in Saudi, currently unable to return home and with no income.

"This week, despite the risk of arrest, they protested at a local police station because they have run out of money to buy food."
(my italics)

2. Spanish journalists weren't allowed in to cover the election in Equatorial Guinea but everybody knows about this appallingly bone-headed manoeuvre- does Obiang's niece think tree bark can combat the AIDS virus?

the official govt site is pretty.
look at how those images change at the top!

3. Ciara Leeming on dealing w' Travellers in Stockport

Derek on Cypress Hill

'my negritude riddles with holes
the dense affliction of its worthy patience'

it speaks clear-eyed volumes about the Manchester Evening News (the main newspaper of that city) that it is expending far more energy on opposing Thaksin Shinawatra's (incredibly stupid) decision to force out Sven-Goran Eriksson from the City football club where he is manager, than it did in ever opposing Shinawatra's takeover of the club; Shinawatra and his family are owners.

when Shinawatra and his children were sniffing around City last year the only people who appeared to be showing any hostility to the deal were a small minority of seeming anoraks: rights groups, writers with the fanzines of both City and United publications (my favourite City 'zine is the irreverent King of the Kippax; my favourite United 'zine is United We Stand, which often boasts superb cover art and internal design), and the odd pro journalist (most notably, David Conn, himself a City supporter).

now the MEN are all over Shinawatra, a bit like a dogged tax investigator.

it is worth noting that the MEN is part of the Guardian Media Group: a sister newspaper to the Guardian (née the Manchester Guardian).

ETA: a good friend of mine pointed out to me the other day that Dr Thaksin hasn't said anything explicit about Sven: media smoke and mirrors is playing its usual game of speculation re certain clues/suggestions/hints etc.
e.g. there are journos that understand Sven has been told he will be sacked but there's nothing in the public domain. nothing yet, anyway.. ...so maybe the Swedish lothario will remain at City into the next season. (but don't bank on it.)

full and respectful somedisco apologies to Thaksin Shinawatra and his team on this one.
(ahem..)