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Although I didn't think the book 'Freakonomics' was an especially good one, and intellectually it is a bit 'lightweight', it does highlight the fact that once one has put a 'value' on ethical and moral behaviour, people often behave even LESS ethically, not more, as they feel they're 'doing the crime, but paying the fine..'.

For example, people being 'fined' for being late picking their children up from the nursery actually became LESS punctual as they were no longer feeling guilty about being late when they could absolve themselves with, in effect, an option to pay for an extra half hour's care.

I'd like to think Mr Murat has got his rightful compensation, but i'm not sure that he has, much like other individuals who have been wrongly accused there will always be some one out there who thinks he had something to do with the young girls abduction.
can anyone put a price on that?

NEW (LABOUR EQUALITIES BILL) SPEAK: MENTALLY ILL= SANE; MEN = WOMEN; TALL=SHORT, OLD=YOUNG; BLACK=WHITE... DOGS=CATS; 2+3=13; PARIS IS IN JAPAN...

"One in five MPs has admitted to having personal experience of a mental health problem in a report out tomorrow"

MPs just like the rest of the population? Given that telling the truth appears to be anathema in Westminster (whilst floridly demonstrating that one can be more economical with the truth than the next MP is considered de rigueur), what possible faith can anyone put in this 20% figure?



Norwegian MP off for a few weeks to extend PC craze, and Norway isn't even in Europe/EU - maybe it will join the Mediterranean Union. Speaking of madness, why isn't Palestine in the Eurovision Song Contest?

And we wonder why kids are arming themselves in the streets.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

NICE ONE JADED JEAN (Good to see you have attained Sin Bin status without use of drugs!)

Your #3 strikes right at 'THE CAUSES OF POLITICS' namely: POLITICIANS.
The Lib Dem who lost-out to the Tory here (Newbury) in 2005, has just come up with a questionnaire, full of the wrong questions, that doubles as a tout for funds. I note that he does not offer to stand AS HIMSELF - ON PERSONAL MERIT at the next election.

CALLING NEWSNIGHT! Please ask every politician entering the Newsnight Videodrome a few pertinent questions about proper self-presentation and true representation. e.g.: 'Do your constituents vote for you or your rosette?' 'If you stood as an independent, would you get in' In short (though I might have said this before)
SPOIL PARTY GAMES. It is the first step to democracy and away from barmy governance.

PS It was good to see that Ray Ling (Ace Camera Virtuoso of Ironclad London) has discovered the Lilliputian-Gaslamp ploy, whereby Caroline Hawley and MP became delightfully diminished figures, strutting their stuff (geddit?) among the outdated constructs of yesteryear. Appropriate or what? Wow!

Just lately I've noticed a certain loosening up in this blog, with adult discussions of some subjects which are a little on the sensitive side being allowed and remaining uncensored. All very encouraging.

But now poor old JadedJean is in the sin bin again. I happen to be privy to the content of the post in question and I truly cannot fathom the reason for its removal. JJ didn't even mention eugenics, or race, or intelligence or even refer to anything remotely Jewish. It was instead an excellent suggestion for a NN interview with the noble Lord Ramsbotham and a few respondents from the other side of things concerning the operation of today's prisons.

What IS going on?

NICE POINT (lordBeddGelert #1)

What's that glib saying about 'the price of everything and the value of nothing?' Perhaps it should further include the infinite worth of immeasurables such as: integrity, honour and dignity. I see these as traits of the evolved, mature being, that are degraded by the political ethos, to the point (as Milord points out) where their AVOIDANCE becomes laudable and is rewarded with advancement within the party. (More cake and a larger balloon.)


NewFazer: HEAR HEAR. Well done the moderators! Not an easy task.

On Murat its good to highlight the issue but hasn't this problem been around for ever? If you allow excessive punitive damages you discourage the problem but then run the risk of smaller outlets going down sooner or later. You also discourage investigative journalism.

But Murat does deserve more. He will be remembered for a long time in that appalling context. Whilst everybody wants to see Madeleine found there was a frenzy in the media. Even the McCanns queried how appropriate much of the coverage was. Its appalling if it was all caused by greed over concern.

NARCISSISTS AND ACCOUNTABILITY
(MPs etc and the impact of their mental health issues)

There's yet more (unsurprising to some) bad news on the SATs marking. It seems ETS Europe has been rather liberal (or is it very equalitarian/non-elitist?) when sub-contracting. Whilst in part this no doubt reflects the 'wisdom' of the free-market (which of course will correct itself), there is more. Just look at the exchange between Barry Sheerman (who chairs the schools select committee) and Ed Balls. I'm sure Mr Balls does indeed find all this 'unacceptable' and 'upsetting', but what's more distressing is that it's (narcissistic) personality traits which render people least receptive to constructive criticism that are the very ones which are prized and selected for senior managerial positions in our 'free-market (anarchistic) liberal-democracy'.




Ken Boston, head of the QCA had some very interesting things to say on Today thismorning: