Sunday, November 2, 2014

"Sharia law or gay marriage critics would be branded ‘extremists’ under Tory plans"

Anyone who expresses an opinion that isn’t regarded as totally compliant with the Equality Act could find themselves ranked alongside Anjem Choudary, Islamic state or Boko Haram,” he (Simon Calvert, Deputy Director of the Christian Institute) said.
He added: “How many times a day do intellectually lazy political activists accuse their opponents of ‘spreading hatred’?

“The left does it, the right does it, liberals do it, conservatives do it, it is routine.

“Hand a judge a file of a thousand Twitter postings accusing this atheist or that evangelical of ‘spreading hatred’ and they could easily rule that an EDO (Extremism Disruption Order) is needed.

“It’s a crazy idea – the Conservatives need to drop this like a hot brick.”
Why would anybody want to hold a hot brick without a proper glove?


Never mind... smart-alecky internet.

17 comments:

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

I found out recently about this beer distributor not too far away that's reputed to be some kind of a mecca for beer enthusiasts. So yesterday I was in the vicinity and I decided to check it out. Why not?

I found it intimidating. Small and dank and cluttered. Cases of beer stacked 8 high. Only one of each variety so you'd definitely need the guys to help you if you wanted what was on the bottom. The cases of beer formed walls. The aisle for walking around the store was a little more that 3 feet wide.

So I'm checking the place out, and at the counter, these guys are enthusing over some case of some obscure Belgian beer that some guy is picking up. They're talking about it as if it were the Holy Grail. I think I overheard someone say it was $150 for the case.

So I did a loop around the store and I'm headed for the door. Just then, at that very moment, a woman walks in. She might well have been the first woman ever to set foot in the place for all I could tell. She was in her early forties, attractive, well-dressed with expensive blond hair. The type who drives one of those little Mercedes SUVs, I thought.

She gets one of the guys obsessing at the counter to turn around to help her. (And I swear I am not making this up.) She says, "Would you tell me what beer goes with ribs? I'm going to a dinner party and they're having ribs."

The guy's face goes blank. His mouth slackens. He is literally speechless.

He regains his composure and answers, "Beer." And to his credit, there was not a shred of snark in his voice. That was simply the best answer he could think of.

That's when I made my exit. Doing so I thought I heard him recommending an Oktoberfest as a safe bet. That's sound advice, I thought.

P.S. There was no Mercedes SUV in the parking lot. There was, however, a Lexus SUV. Brand new, so I'm giving myself 3 marks out of four.

Chip Ahoy said...

Well spotted, all around.

Michael Haz said...

These craft brewing places have sprung up all over the place where I live. They have become as ubiquitous as Starbucks. Every one of them is run by "two guys who were college friends and who like beer".

Their beer usually sucks dishrags. Horrible swill, brewed by two guys without training or special skills, but who liked beer in college.

Yet the barstools are populated with hipsters sipping the swill and commenting knowingly on its hoppiness, its earthiness, its sweet tones, its ale-like colors, etc. They are idiots drinking crappy beer that is one baby step better than the worst home brew.

My father's father was a brewmaster, trained in Europe before coming to America. He knew his brew. I once watched as he opened bottle after bottle of beer he had brewed at home and pour it down the drain. I asked why and he said "sometimes the beer it tastes like shit, and you don't give your friends beer that tastes like shit."

Two points for me because I used 'ubiquitous' in me comment.

edutcher said...

I thought Conservatives liked things that had been proven to have worked.

My ancestor must be spinning.

chickelit said...

What's your favorite M'waukee beer, Haz?

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

I'd say you deserve another point for "two guys who were college friends and who like beer."

Michael Haz said...

Believe it or not, I like a cold Miller Lite.

Non-Milwaukee favorite is Guinness. Not the stuff contract brewed in Canada, but the stuff brewed in Ireland.

chickelit said...

Perfect! I'm putting you on my Christmas list.

Meade said...

Beer is for Europeans. Look up German Beer Purity Laws. Fascistic. Beer, by definition, contains hop flowers. The hop flower contains phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens are fine... if your menstrual period need regulating. Or if you are menopausal, or if you want to store fat around your belly and breasts. Maybe you don't like having erections. Or maybe you like paying for and taking Viagra. Maybe you like taking testosterone supplements. Okay.

But real Americans drink fermented apple cider. Or even unfermented apple cider. Fermented or not, apple cider doesn't contain hop flowers. Look up "brewer's droop".

It's called "hard cider" for more than just one reason.

Yeah — tits, baby.

chickelit said...

Phytoestrogens give new meaning to the term pot-belly.

chickelit said...

Meade, I think you're being alarmist about beer and only posted that to dig at Haz.

chickelit said...

But real Americans drink fermented apple cider.

I had some 2 Towns "Bad Apple" hard cider the other day that was pretty good. Have you tried that?

Meade said...

"I think you're being alarmist about beer and only posted that to dig at Haz."

Why, chickelit? Because he brags about taking male hormone supplements?

And what is with all these descendants of German immigrants? You are, what — third? fourth? fifth generation? When the hell are you going to give up the hyphen and become just plain "American"? All I ever hear is das Vaterland! das Vaterland!.

Come on, volks. Gott im Himmel!

It's over, meiner Jungs.

Meade said...

It's all good, chickenlit, but you can't beat home-brewed cider. That way you can make it as sweet or tangy as you like. And it costs less than half as much as that overpriced store-bought swill. Fresher too. Which counts for a whole lot.

chickelit said...

Meade said...
It's all good, chickenlit, but you can't beat home-brewed cider.

Apples don't do well here in our zone 24 climate, Meade. I grow citrus and, hopefully soon, grapes. Apples do well at higher elevation not too far here, for example Julian, CA. They are famous for apples and cherries.

Meade said...

I didn't say grow them, bro. I said brew them, gruit.

chickelit said...

OK. I get it. I do intend to ferment grapes when I get some. I suppose I could practice on some Welches in the mean time.

It's over, meiner Jungs.

Are you a germaphobe, Meade?

I just read that hopping beer was healthy Protestation: link