[Zeran]

it's not a good thing when you have to explain that you're not a racist party in the first line of said party's description.

[deanster321]

People were saying similar things about the BNP a couple of years ago, weren't they? They'll have their day in the sun then maybe split the right-wing vote at best, which is no bad thing.

[georgedcc]

Originally Posted by deanster321

People were saying similar things about the BNP a couple of years ago, weren't they? They'll have their day in the sun then maybe split the right-wing vote at best, which is no bad thing.

One of the interesting things I read about the BNP/UKIP was that despite being a bit similar in policies, the type of people who vote for them are very different. UKIP gets the people who are too right-wing for the tories, but are still by and large upper/middle class and what you'd traditionally imagine are Conservative voters. BNP gets the white working class people who would usually vote Labour, so basically the rise of UKIP is bad for the conservatives and the rise of the BNP is bad for Labour.

[deanster321]

Originally Posted by georgedcc

One of the interesting things I read about the BNP/UKIP was that despite being a bit similar in policies, the type of people who vote for them are very different. UKIP gets the people who are too right-wing for the tories, but are still by and large upper/middle class and what you'd traditionally imagine are Conservative voters. BNP gets the white working class people who would usually vote Labour, so basically the rise of UKIP is bad for the conservatives and the rise of the BNP is bad for Labour.

Yep. Further on that comparison, I'm just wondering whether UKIP will follow up or if they'll just be another fringe group du jour for the moment. They probably have the best chance but I still don't feel that worried.

[Nuns On A Bus]

Goodbye internet in Syria! (NYT Link)

It remains to be seen exactly what this means. Advances by rebels? Gov't crackdown (more so than before?) It remains to be seen. Definitely one of the more interesting developments in a while concerning the nightmare in Syria, though.

[Nuns On A Bus]

Video from yesterday in Syria. Warning: Extremely graphic

[georgedcc]

Don't think I've got the stomach to watch that video. The video I posted about Syria a few weeks ago haunted me for a while, so I'll probably avoid that for the sake of my sanity.

Anyway, unrelated:

Leveson report: the speed read.
Lord Justice Leveson's 1,987-page report establishes the findings of his 17-month inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of the press. Jane Martinson offers a five-minute guide to exactly what the report says about the key issues.

A pretty good summary of the Levenson inquiry if you don't have the time to read the full 2000 page thing.

[Dicebox]

Category 5 Super Typhoon Bopha hit the southern Philippines this morning. Mindanao in particular is not equipped with the infrastructure to handle winds this strong since typhoons have only once been centered closer to the equator. Potential devastating conditions here.

[georgedcc]

Wow, haven't heard anything about that. Stay safe!

[Nuns On A Bus]

Yeah, I was reading something about people using Twitter as the main way of getting help after it hit. I can't remember where I read that though. Is that actually true?

[Dicebox]

Originally Posted by Nuns On A Bus

Yeah, I was reading something about people using Twitter as the main way of getting help after it hit. I can't remember where I read that though. Is that actually true?

Its hitting right now. I'm not sure? That could be true of Palau who got hit yesterday.

[georgedcc]

Mali civilians vow to take up arms against Islamist extremists.
Militias train male and female recruits for possible offensive amid anger over delayed international intervention.

I'm sure that'll end well...

[georgedcc]

Autumn statement: George Osborne slashes welfare bill
• Austerity plans extended until 2017-18
• Higher-rate taxpayers to lose out
• Fuel duty increase scrapped
• OBR predicts 0.1% contraction in 2012
• National debt will peak at 2015-16, rather than falling

[Zeran]

george osborne is a cunt

[georgedcc]

Cuba cracks down on 'vulgar' reggaeton music.
Country to outlaw musical styles that 'threaten' its traditional musical culture and project women as 'grotesque sexual objects'.

I've never actually heard of Reggaeton. Gonna go listen to some on youtube and report back.

Edit: Oh, it's in Spanish obviously, so I can't understand anything. Duh. Music sounds like it would irritate me if I listened to it for too long. Music videos seem very 'typical': A bunch of bikini-clad women bump and grind with some fat bastard with a backwards baseball cap and chain. I'm listening to a 30 minute mix of it and I didn't notice that the song had changed until I saw that it was a different singer. That's not a good sign. Now there's two guys who look just like Pitbull on the beach with some strippers. I'm gonna stop my live blog of the reggaeton experience now.