This is Not About Assange

There is, I believe, a fundamental issue at stake here. Western ‘democracy’, however limited some of us believe it to be, is based on the notion of a ‘contract’ between those who rule and those who are governed. It is one of the basic foundations of Western Society that those who rule should have an obligation to the governed to rule in their best interests. Sipu touches on this obligation in his post ‘Downton Abbey’. Part of this ‘contract’ is that all will receive unbiased justice equal to any other, regardless of their status, rank, or wealth.

It has been a long fought battle, as those who have even a smattering of history will know, between the will of over-mighty rulers and the people they rule. Had the rulers of Europe had their way they would have become as autocratic as the Tzars in Russia or the Emperors of China where the ‘little man’ was subject to the whim of his masters. It is not a battle that has been won, it is and will continue to be a struggle between those who would like to rule untrammelled by constraints for their own interests and those who do not want to be used like pawns in a game of chess for the benefit of others. It is incumbent on everyone to protect the rights of the individual – even if we do not like the particular individual concerned. Continue reading “This is Not About Assange”

There are Leaks, and there are Leaks

This gave me a good belly-laugh.

Lawyers cry foul over leak of Julian Assange sex-case papers

In a move that surprised many of Mr Assange’s closest supporters on Saturday, The Guardian newspaper published previously unseen police documents that accused Mr Assange in graphic detail of sexually assaulting two Swedish women. One witness is said to have stated: “Not only had it been the world’s worst screw, it had also been violent.”

Bjorn Hurtig, Mr Assange’s Swedish lawyer, said he would lodge a formal complaint to the authorities and ask them to investigate how such sensitive police material leaked into the public domain. “It is with great concern that I hear about this because it puts Julian and his defence in a bad position,” he told a colleague.

I await the flood of comments approving the publication of these documents in the Grauniad.  For the record, I both approve and disapprove.  I approve the Guardian’s even-handedness in putting these papers into the public domain while disapproving the action which may unduly influence a judicial decision.

Article in The Australian.

Downton Abbey

Last week I was lent the complete first series of Downton Abbey on DVD. It has not been shown here in South Africa, nor do I expect it to be, but I was aware that it had caused a bit of a stir in Britain when it was broadcast there earlier this year and so I was delighted when I was given the opportunity to watch it. I have to say that I enjoyed it immensely and eagerly anticipate the second series. Continue reading “Downton Abbey”

Archery Field Shooting

Once upon a time, long ago I said I would write a piece on what I do as a hobby. My nickname here is an accurate description of what I love doing which is a form of archery called field shooting. This is very different from what you might see on the Olympics or what you might imagine archery as being, nice flat field, set distance, nice bright coloured target to shoot at, not for me, damn boring, I do it, but only when I can’t get to a field shoot, and the bloody weather today means I am writing not doing today!!!!

Field shooting often takes place in woods and all bowstyles are catered for, from Compound (Darkside), Recurve, Long Bow, and my style which is recurve barebow which means no sights (compound and recurve have sights) and I am very limited to what I can have on the bow, I use a method called string walking for various distances, basically this allows me to bring the rear of the arrow down for short distances. Continue reading “Archery Field Shooting”