Category Archives: Politics

The Philosophy of Sex

Posted on June 16, 2015 by odeboyz

“Everything is about sex except sex. Sex is about power.” House of Cards Series 1, episode 10 (USA version) Dedicated to Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Nafissatou Diallo (Chris)

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David Cameron’s Cabinet May 2015: Shirkers and Strivers

Posted on June 13, 2015 by odeboyz

David Cameron is an Equal Opportunities employer with a roughly 50:50 split between Shirkers and Strivers. Super Strivers    Greg Clark (Communities: Local Gvnt) Cambridge/LSE            Ph.D Stephen Crabb (Wales)      London Business School                     MBA Justine Greening (Intl Devel)      London Business School         MBA … Continue reading →

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George Osborne: Shirker

Posted on June 12, 2015 by odeboyz

Oxford educated cabinet members (10 out of 23) have developed a philosophy of poverty which George Osborne outlined in his ‘Shirkers and Strivers’ speech*. The claim is that poor people are poor because they lack aspirations and worse, are addicted … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Philosophy, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

A Pyrrhic* Victory: David Cameron, May 2015

Posted on May 29, 2015 by odeboyz

David Cameron’s Conservative party won the British general election on 7th May 2015. This victory ended five years of coalition government with the Liberal Democrats. Cameron has freed himself from the constraints of coalition partnership with the Liberal Democrats but … Continue reading →

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The 1908 Old-Age Pension Act

Posted on May 15, 2015 by odeboyz

The 1908 Old-Age Pension Act was revolutionary legislation embodying the very best of British politics. For the first time there was to be state intervention in the living standards of the people. Assistance was given through non-contributory pensions recognising that … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, History, Politics | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Enoch Powell’s* Prophecy, 1964

Posted on May 8, 2015 by odeboyz

“In the end, the Labour Party could cease to represent labour. Stranger historic ironies have happened than that.” *He was a right-wing Conservative politician and political philosopher. (Chris)

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The Joys of negotiating coalitions: Belgium style

Posted on May 5, 2015 by odeboyz

2007 Forming a government took 197 days 2010/11 Forming a government took 541 days Very few citizens of Belgium noticed that they didn’t have an elected government in place.

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9/11, George W Bush and Dirty Harry

Posted on April 24, 2015 by odeboyz

“Go ahead, make my day.” Harry Callan (Clint Eastwood) in Sudden Impact (1985)  Harry Callan, (‘Dirty Harry),’ made a coercive threat to a ‘punk’. The threat is effective because he understands the punks fear self-preservation and risk-aversion. George W Bush … Continue reading →

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Cinema

Posted on April 21, 2015 by odeboyz

The cinema looks like a warehouse, and feels ostentatious, relying on reflected limelight, buried limelight, awkward, buried in history; it is history. It warehouses focus group dreams, meaningless and safe. Safe when terrorised, safe when sexualised, safe dreams, anodyne dreams, … Continue reading →

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David Cameron’s Political Philosophy

Posted on April 7, 2015 by odeboyz

The NHS* If you’re ill it’s probably a life style issue, so shape up and stop being a burden on hard working taxpayers. *National Health Service Taxation He believes that taxation is a burden and not the price of civilized … Continue reading →

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